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The Health Care Nuclear Option is still the stated plan to get Obamacare to the President’s desk. The latest wrinkle is designed to allow pro-life Democrats to vote for the Senate’s taxpayer funded abortion language while still claiming they never voted for taxpayer funded abortions. Don’t be fooled.
First, let’s be clear that the Senate bill allows tax dollars to be used for abortions. According to Chuck Donovan of The Heritage Foundation, the Senate passed Obamacare bill funds abortion in several ways, even creating an appropriation for Community Health Centers that contains no restriction on abortion subsidies. If the Senate version of Obamacare is passed by the House and sent to the President, then the House has consented to the federal funding of abortion.
House members have come up with a unique way to structure a vote that attempts to avoid the House voting on legislation before it goes to the president. First, the House Budget Committee will report out a reconciliation bill. It is unclear as to whether the Stupak Amendment will be added. This reconciliation measure would be reported for consideration by the House of Representatives as a whole.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) would then package the Senate passed Obamacare bill and the House reconciliation measure into one measure. The House rules committee will report out a rule that will allow the Senate passed Obamacare bill to pass the House without a vote. The rule will be self-executing in the sense that the House will have been deemed to pass the Senate Obamacare bill if the House can muster the votes to pass the reconciliation measure. The House has used this procedure in the past during a debate on funding the Global War on Terror and in passing debt limit increases under the “Gephardt Rule.”
There is a constitutional issue raised by this procedure. Article 1, Section 7, of the Constitution states in part “Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President of the United States.” If the House does not vote on a bill, is it considered to “have passed the House of Representatives?” Don’t expect the Supreme Court to take up this case, because this is in the realm of a political issue that the Courts tend to want resolved by the House and Senate through the democratic process. It is a Constitutional concern and should be discussed by all Americans. If any member of Congress claims to have not voted for the pro-abortion Senate passed bill, one can point to this provision in the Constitution to argue the opposite.
Procedurally, this would happen in the following order. The House Rules Committee would approve this self-executing rule. The House would vote on the rule that allows this scenario. Then the House will vote on the reconciliation measure. Upon passage of the reconciliation measure the Senate Obamacare bill will be deemed to have passed the House and the reconciliation measure will be sent to the Senate. This so called “Deeming Resolution” is a trick that allows the House to pass a bill they never voted upon. Therefore, the real vote on the pro-abortion Senate passed bill will be the vote on the rule to allow this scenario to roll out on the House floor.
One provision that may make the rule is a provision that does not allow the House to report the Senate passed Obamacare bill to the President until the Senate passes a reconciliation bill. Bills are enrolled before being sent to the President for his signature and the House can prevent the enrollment and delivery of Obamacare to the President until the Senate completes work on the reconciliation measure. Sound complicated? Yes and it is supposed to so the American people can’t understand that the House is on the verge of passing an unpopular Obamacare bill, yet they are reserving the right to claim that they did not vote for the Senate passed bill.
If the liberals in the House can pull off this trick, this would have allowed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to have secretly written the version of Obamacare going to the President’s desk. Do you remember Harry Reid and the Chamber of Secrets? Reid merged, without any official proceedings, the Senate HELP and Senate Finance Committee versions of Obamacare, with his personal additions to the bill including a Public Option with an opt out for states, in closed door meetings with political elites. Basically, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, OMB Director Peter Orszag, Senators Harry Reid (D-NV), Max Baucus (D-MT), Chris Dodd (D-CT) and a few other liberal Senators have rewritten health care law in secret closed door meetings.
After those meeting the Senate moved to proceed to this bill, without any hearings or opportunity for public review. During debate in the Senate, Senator Harry Reid crafted a manager’s package of amendments and added the Cornhusker Kickback for Nebraska, a Louisiana Purchase and a Gator-Aid earmark. Now the House is preparing to pass this bill without a vote. The American people should demand that Congress start over. This secretive and non-transparent procedure is not way to force through Obamacare. |
Mo Salah and Edin Dzeko will remain at Roma beyond the end of season
Roma have sealed permanent deals for Chelsea midfielder Mo Salah and Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko after activating clauses in the loan agreements of both players.
The Serie A club confirmed in a financial statement, that they are required to publish as a publicly traded company, that they had firmed up moves for the Barclays Premier League pair as well as Genoa’s Iago Falque.
Roma’s statement read: ‘These players were first signed on a temporary basis, which has been transformed into definitive transfers after planned contractual conditions were met.’
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Mohamed Salah has agreed a permanent deal with Roma where he is currently on loan from Chelsea
Roma have signed Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko on a permanent deal from Manchester City
It appears that Salah, who has made eight appearances for Roma so far this season, and Dzeko, with seven games under his belt, both hit appearance targets that triggered clauses in their deals.
The Egyptian winger’s buy-out figure was £16million, providing Chelsea with an impressive £5m profit on the player they bought from Basle 21 months ago.
Salah was widely disappointing at Stamford Bridge and infuriated manager Jose Mourinho enough to force the 23-year-old to train away from the first team this summer. He departs having made just 19 appearances, scoring two goals.
Dzeko, meanwhile, will cost Roma around £8m after 72 goals in 189 appearances for City and playing a key role in their two Premier League title-winning sides.
Salah’s permanent departure from Chelsea may not be the end of the trouble the Blues face from the flop winger though, with FIFA having already confirmed they will investigate Fiorentina’s move into the players move to Rome.
Striker Dzeko will cost Roma around £8million after 72 goals in 189 appearances for Manchester City
Salah was widely disappointing at Stamford Bridge and infuriated manager Jose Mourinho
La Viola believe their loanee from last season had effectively agreed to rejoin them this season before renegading on that decision to move to the Italian capital in what they claim is a breach of contract. |
Stanford archaeologist leads the first detailed study of human remains at the ancient Egyptian site of Deir el-Medina
By combining an analysis of written artifacts with a study of skeletal remains, Stanford postdoctoral scholar Anne Austin is creating a detailed picture of care and medicine in the ancient world.
Courtesy of Anne Austin Stanford postdoctoral scholar Anne Austin examines the skeletal remains of ancient Egyptians found in the burial sites of Deir el-Medina.
Ancient Egyptian workers in a village that's now called Deir el-Medina were beneficiaries of what Stanford Egyptologist Anne Austin calls "the earliest documented governmental health care plan."
The craftsmen who built Egyptian pharaohs' royal tombs across the Nile from the modern city of Luxor worked under grueling conditions, but they could also take a paid sick day or visit a "clinic" for a free checkup.
For decades, Egyptologists have seen evidence of these health care benefits in the well preserved written records from the site, but Austin, a specialist in osteo-archaeology (the study of ancient bones), led the first detailed study of human remains at the site.
A postdoctoral scholar in the Department of History, Austin compared Deir el-Medina's well-known textual artifacts to physical evidence of health and disease to create a newly comprehensive picture of how Egyptian workers lived. Austin is continuing her research during her tenure as a fellow in the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship of Scholars in the Humanities.
In skeletal remains that she found in the village's cemeteries, Austin saw "evidence for state-subsidized health care among these workers, but also significant occupational stress fueled by pressure from the state to work."
Daily work and payment records corroborate the physical evidence: Deir el-Medina's men had uniquely comprehensive health care, but sometimes could not take advantage of it.
For example, Austin saw in one mummy evidence of osteomyelitis – inflammation in the bone due to blood-borne infection; the man clearly had been working while this infection was ravaging his body. "The remains suggest that he would have been working during the development of this infection," Austin said. "Rather than take time off, for whatever reason, he kept going."
The workers received paid sick leave, as we know from the written records, but they "nonetheless felt pressure to work through illness, perhaps to fulfill tacit obligations to the state to which they owed so much."
"The more I learn about Egypt, the more similar I think ancient Egyptian society is to modern American society," Austin said. "Things we consider creations of the modern condition, such as health care and labor strikes, are also visible so far in the past."
Evidence in the bones
Deir el-Medina, an hour's climb across the mountainside that looms above Egypt's Valley of the Kings, housed workers primarily in the 19th and 20th dynasties (1292-1077 BCE). Its heyday is later than the valley's best-known occupant, Tutankhamun, but contemporaneous with the pharaoh who was arguably Egypt's greatest, Ramesses II, and his long line of successors.
Courtesy of Anne Austin In the skeletal remains Egyptologist Anne Austin found, she saw evidence of both health care and significant occupational stress.
Deir el-Medina's skilled workers had considerable engineering knowledge and an uncommon degree of literacy. They left tens of thousands of written records – bills, personal letters, lawsuits and prayers, on shards of clay, stone flakes and scraps of papyrus.
Burial sites at Deir el-Medina were excavated from 1922 to 1951 by the French Egyptologist Bernard Bruyère, but the science of osteology was then in its infancy, and Bruyère left many of the bodies unstudied in their tombs. Now, Austin works with the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology to study them for the first time.
Austin found tombs "crowded with bats, rats and mummies" when she visited these tombs in 2012 for her UCLA dissertation research, which was funded by the American Research Center in Egypt. Many of the mummies were little more than skeletons, allowing Austin to clearly see the state of the people’s health as evidenced in their bones.
In many bodies Austin saw evidence of stress from the hard climb – today it's a thousand stone steps – from Deir el-Medina to the Valley of the Kings and back again. As Austin found, incidence of arthritis in the knees and ankles of the men at Deir el-Medina was significantly higher than for working populations from other Egyptian cemeteries.
The bones also revealed clues that corroborate other scholars' findings that severely disabled Egyptians were well cared for.
"I found the remains of a man who died at the age of 19 or 20 and was born without a useful right leg, presumably because of polio or another neuromuscular disorder," Austin said.
"To work in the royal tombs, which was the entire purpose of the village, he would have had to climb," Austin said. But in examination of the young man's skeleton, she saw "no signs of other health issues, or of having lived a hard life. That suggests to me that they found a role for him in this community even though the predominant role, of working in the tombs, could not be met."
Relating to ancient ideas
Austin's research into the history of social health care invites larger discussion about how ancient peoples viewed health and disease, as well as the link between affluence and social responsibility.
"A woman named Naunakhte had eight children," Austin said. "In her will, she chastised and disinherited four of them for neglecting her in her old age."
"At Deir el-Medina, we see two health care networks happening," Austin said. "There's a professional, state-subsidized network so the state can get what it wants – a nice tomb for the king. Parallel to this, there's a private network of families and friends. And this network has pressure to take care of its members, for fear of public shaming, such as being divorced for neglect or even disinherited."
Austin finds Egyptians' ideas about health care particularly compelling and fruitful for discussion because, she argues, their ideas about disease were much like ours.
While the Greeks believed that disease stemmed from an imbalance of bodily fluids, she said, "Egyptians thought about it as a kind of contamination of the body. To get better, instead of balancing yourself, you had to purge yourself of the contaminant."
For example, a doctor in the medical text known as the Edwin Smith Papyrus treats a patient with an open wound over a broken arm by placing ground ostrich-egg shell in the wound and pronouncing, "Repelled is the enemy that is in the wound; cast out is the evil that is in the blood."
"It's very similar to modern germ theory," Austin said. "It shows an awareness of disease as being external."
In March, she will return to Deir el-Medina in collaboration with Egyptologist Salima Ikram of the American University in Cairo to study more remains in hope of identifying specific diseases.
"Egypt has a complex civilization, a written tradition and a long history of study," Austin said. "The further away Egypt is and the more we learn, the more relatable it is and thus the more fascinating it is to me." Austin and her students will be exploring our broader fascination with Egypt in her winter quarter course, Egyptomania! The Allure of Egypt over the Past 3,500 years.
Barbara Wilcox is a student in Stanford's Master of Liberal Arts program.
Media Contact
Corrie Goldman, director of humanities communication: (650) 724-8156, corrieg@stanford.edu
Dan Stober, Stanford News Service: (650) 721-6965, dstober@stanford.edu |
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Jan. 27, 2015, 9:31 AM GMT / Updated Jan. 28, 2015, 1:55 AM GMT
BLIZZARD '15: THE LATEST
New England was clobbered on Tuesday by a blizzard every bit as ferocious as forecasters feared — more than 2½ feet of snow, wind as strong as a hurricane and icy waves powerful enough to shake houses.
Boston had been socked with 23.3 inches of snow by Tuesday evening — almost triple its previous one-day record of 8.8 inches. All of Nantucket island lost power, and an 80-foot section of seawall collapsed in Marshfield, Massachusetts. Nurses and doctors hitched rides with police or put on skis and snowshoes to get to work.
What is believed to have been the first death blamed on the storm was that of Sean Urda, a 17-year-old New York boy, who died after being injured Monday night in a sledding accident on Long Island, police said Tuesday.
Police said Urda and two other 17-year-olds were taking turns snow tubing down Chester Court in Huntington about 10 p.m. when Urda took a running start, slid rapidly down the hill and struck a light pole at the bottom.
Full Coverage on NBC New York
The blizzard actually set up farther east than forecasters had expected, and New York and Philadelphia got little more than an ordinary winter storm. Subways rolled back to life, and the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut lifted driving bans.
It was enough of a miss that the National Weather Service felt compelled to explain itself on Facebook, and one meteorologist offered a public apology on Twitter. But in New England, the blizzard matched the direst fears.
The town of Auburn, Massachusetts, reported 35 inches of snow, and 30 or more inches was also recorded in Lunenburg, Framingham, Worcester and Westford. Thompson, Connecticut, came in at 30.5 inches. Litchfield and Nashua in New Hampshire both got 30 inches.
And "we're not done yet in New England," said Ari Sarsalari, a forecaster for The Weather Channel. Boston was expected to get 8 to 12 inches more by Wednesday morning, while Portland, Maine, could add as much as a foot and a half to the 20½ inches already on the ground.
"There is about 4 feet of water in the street in front of the house," Eric Murphy, a pest control worker, told NBC News from his home in Marshfield, Massachusetts. "We do get flooding here, but this is the worst I've seen in the 15 years I've lived here. My house is on stilts, but another few inches and we might be in trouble."
"We have a lot of damage from the high tide last night, a lot of high winds," said Marshfield fire Capt. Shaun Robinson, who went from house to house Tuesday inspecting the damage, told NBC station WHDH of Boston. "The pilings on the front of the buildings literally were snapped."
Gov. Charlie Baker said Boston transit would remain closed at least until Wednesday, and Mayor Marty Walsh said schools could be closed through Thursday. "We're still very much in the middle of this storm," he told reporters Tuesday afternoon.
A nuclear power plant in Plymouth shut down automatically when the power went out, but authorities said the public wasn't in danger.
The strongest gust from the blizzard was recorded on Nantucket — 78 mph, as powerful as a low-grade hurricane. Police Chief William Pittman told NBC News that even 911 service was out.
"We've also lost all communications, our phone systems are down, our cell phones are very spotty and our Internet is non-existent," Pittman said. "It was stated by one individual [that] we've had to revert to 1950s technology just to stay in touch."
In Rhode Island, gusts were as strong as 53 mph. A 110-foot replica of the 18th-century tall ship Providence blew over on its side in Newport Shipyard and broke its mast, the owner told New England Cable News.
Air travel was all but shut down across much of the Northeast. In all, more than 7,700 flights were wiped out Monday and Tuesday because of the blizzard. Stranded passengers were lined up on cots along a window at LaGuardia Airport in New York with no idea when they could fly.
"I started to read, and I dozed off," said Cynthia Maynard, who expected to be marooned for a second straight night as she tried to get home to Nassau, Bahamas. All nearby hotels were full.
The cots were fine, she told NBC News from the food court, but "you don't sleep soundly, no, by no stretch of the imagination."
And at John F. Kennedy Airport, passengers on at least one outbound Virgin Atlantic flight were stranded when their flight to London was canceled after six hours on the tarmac.
"There's nothing to drink, nothing to eat. It's a disaster," said Alexis Dehasse, a music producer who was aboard Virgin Atlantic Flight 4 to London, which was supposed to take off at 6:30 p.m. Monday but dumped passengers back at the gate after midnight after dealing with de-icing and a sick passenger.
The official snow total was 9.8 inches in Central Park. As late as Monday afternoon, the weather service had predicted 24 to 36 inches for parts of the city. Forecasters had to backpedal when the storm moved east.
"The science of forecasting storms, while continually improving, still can be subject to error, especially if we're on the edge of the heavy precipitation shield," the National Weather Service's New York office said on its Facebook page Tuesday. "Efforts, including research, are already underway to more easily communicate that forecast uncertainty."
The U.S. Postal Service said mail delivery would resume Wednesday in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Post offices will be open if you can get to them.
The storm turned out great for Lauren Piccolo of Manhattan, whose 1-year-old whippet, Burt, had been missing for five months. Fire Lt. Dave Kelly noticed him rummaging for food at the fire department's training facility at Randall's Island, NBC New York reported. After he trapped the dog Monday night, Kelly scoured social media for clues and found Piccolo, who'd been posting hundreds of fliers since August. |
It seems that no tree is safe from lawyers driving late at night in East Dallas.
Earlier this summer, Texas Rep. Victoria Neave ran into a tree on Abrams for which she received a DWI. Unfortunately, she is not the only lawyer to take on our timber this summer. The Dallas Morning News reports that Assistant District Attorney Leah Lucius was accused of drunken driving after hitting a tree less than a mile from her Forest Hills house last night. According to the affidavit, her Cadillac was found around 12:30 a.m. in the 1600 block of Breezewood Lane, near the intersection with San Leandro Drive.
The parallels don’t end there. When Neave was arrested, she proclaimed, “I love you and I will fight for you and I’m invoking my fifth Amendment rights,” according to the police report. Lucius had a unique defense of her actions as well. According to the affidavit, she told officers, “Give me a break. We are Facebook friends.”
She refused to undergo a field sobriety test, but did hand officers her concealed handgun license when they asked for her driver’s license.
Lucius told officers she had a couple glasses of wine, and that she only swerved to avoid another car that came into her lane. A neighbor made the call when he heard a loud crash and saw the Cadillac flying through the air after it hit a tree.
Lucius hit a stop sign, went into the front yard of the house at the corner of San Leandro and Breezewood, but wasn’t close to done. The car clipped a tree, veered back onto the street and back into the side yard before it crashed through the alley and into another neighbor’s gate, knocking it out of place. The damage spanned half a block, according to the homeowners.
Lucius has been suspended from her job while the investigation is ongoing, but was not booked into the Dallas County Jail. She was taken to the hospital for evaluation and to have her blood alcohol content tested.
While the tree Neave plowed into now has its own Twitter handle, Lucius’ tree has yet to make an appearance on social media. |
Chen was caught on surveillance video abusing the animals.
The Philadelphia man caught on surveillance camera juggling kittens inside a Logan Chinese restaurant pleaded guilty to cruelty to four counts of animal cruelty.
YuZhen Chen, 26, received two years of probation, according to court records.
Chen was arrested in July after Philadelphia Police saw video that showed him throwing kittens in the air, rolling them on the ground, and swinging them in circles.
Police investigating a shooting at the Red Star Chinese take-out restaurant say they found video of Chen, who owned the restaurant at the time, abusing the cats. Cops then contacted the SPCA.
"This is not neglect. It's malicious and he was intending on purposely hurting and torturing these kittens it's very disturbing," said Richard Loos, PSPCA.
Investigators say they were only able to rescue the mother cat and two of her kittens.
Besides probation, Chen must also pay about $44 a month in penalties, according to court records. |
Ah, the Roman Empire. One of the greatest empires to conquer the known world of ancient Europe. At its height, every man desired to sit on the throne, making the Roman Emperor one of the more precarious roles in ancient history. We always hear about the greatest and worst Emperors — Caesar Augustus and Caligula, for example — but we so rarely hear about the other Emperors who lost their lives in service of — and sometimes in detriment to — the Empire.
A few weeks ago, someone on /r/dataisbeautiful charted out the length of the reigns of each King and Queen of England and how they ultimately met their end. (Spoiler: The royal line didn’t seem very healthy.) Then earlier this week, another user charted out the causes of death of the Roman Emperors. It seemed only natural to combine the two to show the reigns and deaths of the Roman Emperors. All of this data comes from Wikipedia, who already had the entire line of Emperors sorted out into a table.
Click on the image for a larger version
In the visualization above, we see the fairly sordid history of the Roman Empire. Well over half of the Emperors met some form of premature and violent end, with the average reign lasting only 8 years throughout the history of the Empire. Most of these violent ends are attributable to a particularly unstable period of the Empire known as the Crisis of the Third Century, where over 20 men (Maximinus I -> Carinus) — mostly prominent Generals of the army — ascended to the throne in a mere 50-year period. Nearly all of the Emperors during this period died violently, either by assassination or in battle.
The Crisis only came to an end when Diocletian, a military commander of low birth, came into power. Diocletian realized that the Empire was too large for one man to rule, and thus split the rule of the Empire with 3 other men, forming a tetrarchy, or “rule of four.” Thanks to Diocletian’s guidance and reforms, the Empire managed to hold together for another century despite The Crisis nearly tearing it apart. Diocletian is the only Emperor to have voluntarily abdicated from the throne, although it must have been tragic for him to watch the Empire crumble despite his life’s work rebuilding it.
The Roman Empire as we know it ended with Theodosius I who, despite his efforts, could not secure the Empire for his sons. His sons quickly lost control of the throne and the Empire fell into turmoil again, eventually leading to the sack of Rome in 410 AD and the eventual dissolution of the Western Roman Empire. The Eastern Roman Empire — later known as the Byzantine Empire — survived and even thrived for another millennium until it was conquered in 1453 AD.
Want to learn more about Roman history? I highly recommend this excellent podcast called The History of Rome. |
The American Meteor Society has received numerous (355 so far) reports of a major fireball event over the Pacific Northwest and southwestern Canada on October 30th just before 6:00am PDT (7:00 MDT). The fireball was seen primarily from the Portland, Oregon area but there are also many witnesses from Washington, British Columbia, Alberta, Idaho, and Montana.
A preliminary trajectory plot shows the meteor entered over the southeastern Washington and ended near the Pacific coast west of the Seattle-Tacoma area. We have received very few reports from near the flight path, most likely due to cloud cover at the time of the event. The most notable feature of this object was the long path in the sky and duration of this event.
Here is the current heat map for the event that shows where the witnesses reported from. Click the map below to review the event map and witness reports for this fireball.
If you saw this fireball, please report it here.
Robert Lunsford Bob has been interested in the stars as far back as he can recall His first experience with meteors was a biggie, the 1966 Leonid shower. In 1980, a major awaking occurred. He received a sample copy of Meteor News. He was amazed to learn there was a group actually devoted strictly to meteor observing! He joined the group also started to view some of the minor showers list among the pages of Meteor News. Lastly, he was contracted by Springer Publishing in 2007 to write a book on observing meteors. The book is now available and hopefully will be a useful guide to all interested in the enjoyable field of meteor observing. |
Today, T-Mobile announced that they have already rolled out wideband LTE to 16 markets and VoLTE to 15 markets, with 100 million people currently covered by the 15 VoLTE markets and plans to expand this coverage nationwide by the end of the year. However, the real news this is their Test Drive program. This means that people can sign up to get an iPhone 5s with unlimited voice, text, and data. This trial period will last a week, with no money down or obligation to stay with T-Mobile once the week is over. In short, it’s possible to try T-Mobile with no strings attached for a week now. The real reason for this is to avoid buyer's rermorse, with the hope of also attracting more customers to T-Mobile by reducing the inherent risk currently present in the contract system when one switches from one carrier to another. CEO John Legere stated during the presentation that the remorse rate for those purchasing service from a wireless operator is worse than those that purchase a used car. According to T-Mobile, 46% experience regret over their choice of network operator, which is one of the main reasons for this program.
The program starts on June 23rd and the website to sign up for this program is www.t-mobile.com/testdrive/. |
CHICAGO -- Athletics third baseman Brandon Inge will travel back to Oakland to have an MRI on his dislocated right shoulder.
A's manager Bob Melvin announced the plan for Inge after Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Inge was hurt Saturday on a diving stop in the seventh inning. He remained in the game and started a double play two batters later. Inge then drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth, leading the team to believe the injury wasn't too severe.
Inge was held out of the lineup Sunday. The team decided he should meet with doctors to determine the extent of the injury and whether he can play through it without causing long-term issues.
The 35-year-old Inge is hitting .216 with 12 homers and 52 RBIs. |
Science could never get done without the right tools. And all that gear has to come from somewhere. Many of the gadgets sitting on laboratory shelves around the world have histories just as interesting as the discoveries they've made. Each month we're telling the stories of how the most important lab tools came to be.
There are few more essential tools to a scientist then the ability to keep contaminants out of their research. Dust, microbes, and even vapors can screw up delicate experiments. And as science gets more and more precise, sometimes even a single atom out of place could mean the difference between successful science and total failure. This is why we have cleanrooms. They control the level of contaminated air inside a space and allow scientists to do delicate work without fear that a rogue element will upend everything.
Willis Whitfield invented the cleanroom in 1962. It was a revolution at the time -- the design schematics for the first "ultra-clean room" even has a patent: US3158457 A. But 1962 wasn't all that long ago. It's hard to believe that no one was protecting their environments from contamination before then.
Photo Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
People were certainly trying. According to a paper on the history of the cleanroom by Daniel Hollbrook, a historian at Marshall University, the earliest people to make an attempt at creating controlled environments were watchmakers. It makes sense if you think about it -- they were dealing with teeny tiny parts that had to move in tandem and even a small speck of dirt would throw off their delicate work. In the 1850s one American watch factory, he says, solved the problem of dirt getting into their watch parts by physically moving their entire company from the polluted city of Roxbury, Massachusetts, to a more rural part of the state. Then they located the actual room where they built the watch mechanics above ground level. It was one of the first instances of an isolated area dedicated to building mechanisms.
US Patent US3158457 A
The next step forward in cleanrooms, according to Hollbrook, happened during World War I when a company called Miniature Precision Bearings, which made tiny ball bearings, realized that airborne particles were affecting the consistency of their manufacturing process. In 1939, MPB managed to solve the problem by introducing air conditioning into their plant. The A/C was so successful at filtering particles out of the air that when they built a new plant in 1956 they dedicated special manufacturing areas called "white rooms" that had air filters designed to remove dust. Workers inside the rooms were required smocks and caps -- and they weren't allowed to sneeze.
Also in the 1950s came advances in surgical cleanrooms. Though surgeons had been trying to maintain clean environments during surgery since the 1870s, those efforts were mostly geared towards keeping doctors from bringing contaminants in with them from the outside. But little had been done to stop the spread of disease once these particles were already inside. During World War II, however, cramped conditions in wartime medical centers prompted research into ventilation technology. Out of this research came High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters and an understanding of laminar airflow (systems that make air move in only one direction).
By the 1960s, according to a NASA report, cleanrooms were beginning to become a hot ticket item for military and space manufacturing. The US Air Force, in fact, was hard at work establishing just what, exactly, would be the standard practice for design and implementation. There had been a few disparate cleanrooms popping up around the country -- but nobody was making them in the same way. Each one was being tailored to the specific needs of a product's manufacturing process.
Around this time, in 1961, Willis Whitfield was working at Sandia National Laboratory running a team that was tasked with keeping nuclear production facilities as clean as possible. According to Sandia Lab historians, the practice in most cleanrooms at the time was just to seal everything up really tight and vacuum a lot. It was less than effective. So Whitfield and his team designed a room that would constantly circulate air through filters. It was capable of completely replacing all the air in a room 10 times every minutes. According to a story in the Sandia Lab News: "When the first cleanroom was tested "the dust counters went to nearly zero. We thought they were broken," Willis said in a 1993 videotaped interview."
photo via Sandia National Laboratories
In 1962 (or 1963 depending on which source you ask) the USAF convened a group of 200 cleanroom experts at Sandia to establish standard rules for how the rooms would work. Out of this came an early version of the ISO levels we use to rate cleanrooms today. But by far the most successful cleanroom standardization to come out of Sandia was Whitfield's design, which, because it was patented, can be measured: within just a few years from its introduction the patent resulted in nearly $50 billion worth of cleanrooms to built around the world including by companies like RCA and General Motors. Whitfield later went on to assist NASA with sterilizing spacecraft. And Time Magazine dubbed him "Mr. Clean."
Today cleanroom technology is an entire industry unto itself. The technology has its own Global Society for Contamination Control. Standards for what goes inside a cleanroom these days specify every piece of fabric or material that's brought in. Ceiling tiles and lamp shapes aren't safe from regulation. Some cleanrooms even utilize ionizers to control the electrical charge of the particles floating around inside (this makes sense in semiconductor production facilities that do things like build transistors one atom at a time). Without the breakthrough of cleanrooms most of the technology we have today would not only be much less reliable, but even more likely it wouldn't exist at all. |
NaProTECHNOLOGY — A Major Breakthrough In Monitoring and Maintaining a Woman's Reproductive and Gynecological Health
NaProTECHNOLOGY (Natural Procreative Technology) is a new women's health science that monitors and maintains a woman's reproductive and gynecological health. It provides medical and surgical treatments that cooperate completely with the reproductive system.
Thirty years of scientific research in the study of the normal and abnormal states of the menstrual and fertility cycles have unraveled their mysteries.
NaProTECHNOLOGY — A Major Breakthrough.
This is the first women's health science to network family planning with reproductive health monitoring and maintenance. It is a fertility-care based medical approach rather than a fertility-control approach to family planning and gynecological health.
NaProTECHNOLOGY uses the Creighton Model FertilityCare™ System biomarkers to monitor easily and objectively the occurrence of various hormonal events during the menstrual cycle. NaProtracking provides valid information that can be interpreted by a woman and by physicians who are specifically trained in this system.
Unlike common suppressive or destructive approaches, NaProTECHNOLOGY works cooperatively with the procreative and gynecologic systems. When these systems function abnormally, NaProTECHNOLOGY identifies the problems and cooperates with the menstrual and fertility cycles that correct the condition, maintain the human ecology, and sustain the procreative potential.
Women now have an opportunity to know and understand the causes of the symptoms from which they suffer.
About the Developer
Thomas W. Hilgers, MD, is the director of the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction and the National Center for Women's Health in Omaha, Nebraska. Working at the St. Louis University and Creighton University Schools of Medicine, Hilgers and his coworkers developed the Creighton Model FertilityCare System. Dr. Hilgers is currently a senior medical consultant in obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive medicine and surgery at the Pope Paul VI Institute. He is a clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska. In 1994, Dr. Hilgers was appointed to permanent membership to the Pontifical Academy for Life. In 2004, Dr. Hilgers published the definitive textbook on natural procreative technology, The Medical and Surgical Practice of NaProTECHNOLOGY.
For more information on the research and services of Pope Paul VI Institute, please visit us at the Pope Paul VI website.
Pope Paul VI Institute
6901 Mercy Road
Omaha, Nebraska 68106
www.popepaulvi.com
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Zuppi's comments came in response to the argument that Christian churches are not welcome in the Islamic world. "This should push us to work even harder to allow every believer to pray, and I am convinced that among all believers we can find that unique sense of belonging, that one God, which is named 'peace.'"
In contrast to Zuppi's enthusiasm, Virginio Merola, mayor of Bologna and member of the Italian Democratic Party, is expressing greater reserve. After years of aggressively pushing for a mosque in the city, he backed down after public opposition, admitting he was "wrong about the mosque."
So are other members of the party, including vice president of Emilia-Romagna (the region to which Bologna serves as capital), who doesn't regard a mosque as a priority, "especially because the Muslim Community has declared this isn't urgent."
The newspaper Corriere della Sera is speculating that the politicians are concerned that starting this discussion might affect local elections in May, considering the public's strong hostility to the idea of a mosque.
Conservative politicians reacted with caution to Abp. Zuppi's statements, claiming it's impossible to open new mosques in Italy without first establishing clear rules and a prior agreement between the Muslim community and the State, as well as requiring that all imams register. Several Muslim projects presented for regularization have already been rejected by the Democratic Party in Emilia-Romagna.
Alan Fabbri, from the Northern League, said that this is not the right historical moment to open mosques. "Zuppi should worry about the reconstruction of the churches under his Curia affected by the 2012 earthquake, before worrying about the places of worship of other religion," he remarked.
The Muslim community itself is responding with reservations. Yassine Lafram, representative for the Bolognese Muslim community, made it clear he isn't interested in discussing the construction of a mosque before the upcoming elections to avoid the public backlash it would engender, and that their community is more preoccupied with proselytizing.
"The starting point for us is to form good Bolognese citizens of Muslim faith," Lafram explained. "We could consider the construction of a mosque in the future, if the conditions are right. From our part we make no presumptions."
On the other hand, Hassan Samid, representative of Young Muslims of Ferrara, spoke warmly of the "interesting opening" from Zuppi, and used the occasion to ask for a mosque in the town of Ferrara, within the archdiocese of Bologna. When asked about the inclusion of Islamic celebrations in school, he replied, "This could be discussed further, but it might be a bit much. It'd be enough to recognize Muslims' right to be absent from school and work during the two main festivities of the Muslim Calendar."
Juliana Freitag is ChurchMilitant.com's Italian correspondent. |
Deep beneath the surface of the Gulf of Alaska an extraordinary marine crime has been taking place.
Sperm whales, the ocean’s largest predators, have been targeting the boats of black cod fishermen and swiping their catch off their lines.
This giant animal’s deft trick was filmed for the first time by a group of scientists based in Alaska, US, and is shown in the BBC Two programme Alaska: Earth’s Frozen Kingdom.
It shows a sperm whale using its long jaw to create tension on the line, which in turn snaps fish off the hooks. This feeding behaviour is called depredation and experts think it is learned by the whales.
“I don’t know how to quantify their intelligence but their effectiveness is almost perfect,” says Stephen Rhoads, a boat skipper who has been fishing in the area for 20 years.
“That they’re getting better at this every single year and it’s less work for them to hang out with us and take our fish than it is to dive down and get them off the bottom.
“There’s no doubt that these creatures are very smart.”
Long-line fishermen fish on the sea bed using hook-and-line equipment that can be up to five miles long.
Black cod and other deep water fish are natural prey for sperm whales in the region.
Crews fishing for black cod, or sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) first reported sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) removing fish from their lines in the Gulf of Alaska in the 1970s.
Since then the fishing season has been extended from around two weeks to eight months and commercial whaling has also been banned, both of which are thought to have added to the problem by increasing the numbers of whales and the length of time they have to perfect their technique.
Reported incidents of depredation began to rise in the mid 1990s and the damage done by the whales’ attacks is now estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each year and led the industry to approach scientists for help.
The Southeast Alaska Sperm Whale Avoidance Project (SEASWAP) was launched in 2003 to try to understand the mysterious mammals and uncover ways to stop them from following fishing vessels for their dinner.
They’re premeditated
Scientific research has been combined with the fishermen’s observations and has produced a number of revelations about sperm whale depredation.
It has also provided several new findings about the Gulf of Alaska sperm whale population as a whole, including determining their genetics and their movements.
In the SEASWAP study area 120 sperm whales have been observed, all of which are male, scientists estimate there may be 235 in total. Up to 10 whales have been seen around fishing boats, which is unusual as adult males usually hunt on their own and could also point towards depredation being socially transmitted between whales.
They also discovered that the whales, who hunt using echolocation, are alerted to the fact fishing is taking place by the sound of boat engines shifting gear as the crew haul in the catch, this can be detected from several miles away.
“They’re premeditated,” says Mr Rhoads, “but they are using clues of how we’re fishing to know that there’s definitely gear on the bottom, that we have fish on hooks a half mile under the surface and the whales have figured out the sounds of our boats in action meaning that the fish are coming up.”
Sperm whales have also been shown to feed off the line at different depths, some diving fairly shallow and others much deeper, similar to natural foraging dives.
Of the solutions the SEASWAP team have tried to keep sperm whales away from the boats, monitoring has proved the most successful. This involves putting satellite tags onto the whales so they can be tracked, fishermen can then use a website or contact the SEASWAP team directly, to find out where the whales are.
The scientists hope to eventually tag 10 individuals – known as the 'bad boys' – who are seen around boats most often. One of the most regular visitors has even earned the name Jack the Stripper after being seen nine out of the last 10 years in the same part of the Gulf.
“We think that they’re a little bit better at what they do or a bit more interested in depredation,” says Lauren Wild from SEASWAP.
“Maybe the other whales drive by and take fish if they’re by a boat but they’re not seen as frequently.”
Four of the 10 serial depredators have so far been tagged, giving the fishermen the option to avoid fishing near them.
“I don’t know if there’s one answer to the depredation issue but I think being informed and aware of how these animals are behaving are all important to really get a grasp on what they’re doing and how they’re doing it in order to prevent it,” says Ms Wild.
“As we learn more, we hone down better ideas of what to do.”
SEASWAP is now collaborating with scientists studying depredation by whales in other parts of the world and continue to work with the fishermen to devise and test potential answers to the problem.
“It was only 160 years ago that the classic novel Moby Dick was written, capturing the dramas at sea of whalers,” says Alaska: Earth’s Frozen Kingdom producer Jane Atkins.
“Now the tables have turned, whaling is banned, and sperm whales are returning and learning to take on fishermen in bold and surprising ways – and so far there is very little the fishermen can do about it.
“The conservation questions are far more complex, and it will certainly be an interesting story to follow in years to come.”
For more information about the SEASWAP project click here.
Watch the first episode of Alaska: Earth’s Frozen Kingdom at 20:00 GMT Wednesday 4th February, BBC Two.
You can follow BBC Earth on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. |
Bambi is a 1942 American animated film directed by David Hand (supervising a team of sequence directors), produced by Walt Disney and based on the book Bambi, a Life in the Woods by Austrian author Felix Salten. The film was released by RKO Radio Pictures on August 13, 1942, and is the fifth Disney animated feature film.
The main characters are Bambi, a mule deer; his parents (the Great Prince of the forest and his unnamed mother); his friends Thumper (a pink-nosed rabbit); and Flower (a skunk); and his childhood friend and future mate, Faline. For the movie, Disney took the liberty of changing Bambi's species into a mule deer from his original species of roe deer, since roe deer are not native to North America, and the mule deer is more widespread in the United States.[4] The film received three Academy Award nominations: Best Sound (Sam Slyfield), Best Song (for "Love Is a Song" sung by Donald Novis) and Original Music Score.[5]
In June 2008, the American Film Institute presented a list of its "10 Top 10"—the best ten films in each of ten classic American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. Bambi placed third in animation.[6] In December 2011, the film was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.[7]
Plot
A doe gives birth to a fawn named Bambi, who will one day take over the position of Great Prince of the Forest, a title currently held by Bambi's father, who guards the woodland creatures from the dangers of hunters. The fawn is quickly befriended by an eager, energetic rabbit named Thumper, who helps to teach him to walk and speak. Bambi grows up very attached to his mother, with whom he spends most of his time. He soon makes other friends, including a young skunk named Flower and a female fawn named Faline. Curious and inquisitive, Bambi frequently asks about the world around him and is cautioned about the dangers of life as a forest creature by his loving mother. One day out in a meadow, Bambi briefly sees The Great Prince but does not realize that he is his father. As the great prince wanders uphill, he discovers the human hunter named "Man" by all the animals is coming and rushes down to the meadow to get everyone to safety. Bambi is briefly separated from his mother during that scene but is escorted to her by the Great Prince as the three of them make it back in the forest just as Man fires his gun.
During Bambi's first winter, he and Thumper play in the snow while Flower hibernates. One day his mother takes him along to find food, when Man shows up again. As they escape his mother is shot and killed by the hunter, leaving the little fawn mournful and alone. Taking pity on his abandoned son, the Great Prince leads Bambi home as he reveals to him that he is his father. Next year, Bambi has matured into a young stag, and his childhood friends have entered young adulthood as well. They are warned of "twitterpation" by Friend Owl and that they will eventually fall in love, although the trio view the concept of romance with scorn. However, Thumper and Flower soon both encounter their beautiful romantic counterparts and abandon their former thoughts on love. Bambi himself encounters Faline as a beautiful doe. However, their courtship is quickly interrupted and challenged by a belligerent older stag named Ronno, who attempts to force Faline away from Bambi. Bambi successfully manages to defeat Ronno in battle and earn the rights to the doe's affections.
Bambi is awakened shortly afterward by the smell of smoke, he follows it and discovers it leads to a hunter camp. Bambi is warned by his father that Man has returned with more hunters. The two flee to safety, although Bambi is separated from Faline in the turmoil and searches for her along the way. He soon finds her cornered by Man's vicious hunting dogs, which he manages to ward off. Meanwhile, at the "Man's" camp their campfire, unattended, spreads into the forest, resulting in a wildfire from which the forest residents flee in fear. Bambi, his father, Faline, and the forest animals manage to reach shelter on a riverbank. The following spring, Faline gives birth to twins under Bambi's watchful eye as the new Great Prince of the Forest.
Cast
Notes
^ Sources differ on whether Sutherland actually voiced Young Adult Bambi.[9]
Production
Development
In 1933, Sidney Franklin, a producer and director at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, purchased the film rights to Felix Salten's novel Bambi, A Life in the Woods, intending to adapt it as a live-action film. After years of experimentation, he eventually decided that it would be too difficult to make such a film and he sold the film rights to Walt Disney in April 1937.[10] Disney began work on crafting an animated adaptation immediately, intending it to be the company's second feature-length animated film and their first to be based on a specific, recent work.[10] However, the original novel was written for an adult audience, and was considered too "grim" and "somber" for a regular light-hearted Disney film.[10] The artists also discovered that it would be challenging to animate deer realistically.[11] These difficulties resulted in Disney putting production on hold while the studio worked on several other projects.[10] In 1938, Disney assigned Perce Pearce and Carl Fallberg to work on the film's storyboards, but attention was soon drawn away as the studio began working on Fantasia.[10] Finally, on August 17, 1939, production on Bambi began in earnest, but progressed slowly owing to changes in the studio personnel, location, and methodology of handling animation at the time.[10]
Writing
There were many interpretations of the story. As Mel Shaw claimed
“ The story of Bambi had a so many possibilities, you could go off on a million tangents. I remember one situation when Walt became involved with himself. He said 'Suppose we have Bambi step on an ant hill and we cut inside and see all the damage he's done to the ant civilization'. We spent weeks and weeks developing the ants, and then all of a sudden we decided, you know, we're way off the story, this has got nothing to do with the story of Bambi. We also had a family of grasshoppers, and they get into a family squabble of this or that, and Bambi is watching all of this, and here's the big head of Bambi in the grasshoppers. And what's that got to do with the story, and this would go on many times.[11] ”
Originally the film was intended to have six individual bunny characters, similar to the dwarfs in Snow White. However Perce Pearce suggested that they could instead have five generic rabbits and one rabbit with a different color than the rest, with one tooth, would have a very distinct personality.[12] This character later became known as Thumper.
There originally was a brief shot in the scene where Bambi's mother dies of her jumping over a log and getting shot by man. Larry Morey, however, felt the scene was too dramatic, and that it was emotional enough to justify having her death occurring off screen.[11][12] Walt Disney was also eager to show man burned to death by his fire that he inadvertently started, but this was discarded when it was decided not to show man at all.[11] There was also a scene involving two autumn leaves conversing like an old married couple before parting ways and falling to the ground, but Disney found that talking flora did not work in the context of the film, and instead a visual metaphor of two realistic leaves falling to the ground was used instead.[12] Disney and his story team also developed the characters consisting of a squirrel and a chipmunk that were to be a comic duo reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy. However, after years of experimentation, Walt felt that the story should focus on the three principal characters: Bambi, Thumper and Flower.[12] The squirrel and chipmunk make only brief appearances in the final film.
The writing was completed in July 1940, by which time the film's budget had increased to $858,000.[10]
Animation
Although the animators had animated deer in Snow White, they were animated, in the words of Eric Larson, "like big flour sacks".[11] Disney wanted the animals in Bambi to be more realistic and expressive than those in Snow White. He had Rico LeBrun, a painter of animals, come and lecture to the animators on the structure and movement of animals.[13] The animators visited the Los Angeles Zoo and Disney set up a small zoo at the studio with animals such as rabbits, ducks, owls, and skunks, and a pair of fawns named Bambi and Faline so that the artists could see first-hand the movement of these animals.[12][13][14] Rico LeBurn's sketches depicted realistic animals, but as characters they lacked personality. Marc Davis created the final design of Bambi by incorporating LeBurn's realistic study of deer anatomy but exaggerating the character's face by making his proportions baby-like (short snout, big eyes, etc.).[11] Although there were no humans in Bambi, live-action footage of humans was used for one scene: actress Jane Randolph and Ice Capades star Donna Atwood acted as live-action references for the scene where Bambi and Thumper are on the icy pond.[15] The animators learned a lot about animals during the film's production, giving them a broader spectrum of animation styles to use in future projects.[16]
The backgrounds for the film were inspired by the Eastern American woodlands. One of the earliest and best-known artists for the Disney studio, Maurice "Jake" Day, spent several weeks in the Vermont and Maine forests, sketching and photographing deer, fawns, and the surrounding wilderness areas.[17] However his first sketches were too "busy" as the eye did not know where to focus.[11] Tyrus Wong, a Chinese animator, showed Day some of his impressionistic paintings of a forest. Day liked the paintings and appointed him art director of the film.[11] Wong's backgrounds were revolutionary since they had more detail around the center and less around the edges, thus leading a viewer's eye to the characters.[12]
Due to World War II, which began in Europe in 1939, Pinocchio and Fantasia failed at the box office. Facing financial difficulty, Disney was forced to cut 12 minutes from the film before final animation to save production costs.[10]
Release
Bambi was released in theaters in 1942, during World War II, and was Disney's 5th full-length animated film. The film was re-released to theatres in 1947, 1957, 1966, 1975, 1982, and 1988. It was then made available in North America on home video in 1989 and in the UK in 1994. Even in home video, it has seen multiple releases, including three VHS releases — in 1989 (Classics Version), 1997 (Masterpiece Collection Version), and 2005 (Platinum Edition version), one Betamax release in 1989 (Classics version), two Laserdisc releases in 1989 (Classics version) and 1997 (Masterpiece Collection version) — and most recently a digitally-remastered and restored Platinum Edition DVD.[18] The Platinum Edition DVD went on moratorium on January 31, 2007.[19]
Bambi was released as a Diamond Edition on March 1, 2011,[20] consisting of a Blu-ray and DVD combo pack. This release included multiple bonus features not previously included in Bambi home releases: a documentary entitled Inside Walt’s Story Meetings – Enhanced Edition, two deleted scenes, a deleted song, an image gallery, and a game entitled Disney’s Big Book of Knowledge: Bambi Edition.[21] This release also marked the first use of "Disney Second Screen",[22] a feature which is accessed via a computer or iPad app download that syncs with the Blu-ray disc,[23] allowing the viewer to follow along by interacting with animated flip-books, galleries and trivia while watching the movie.[20] A UK version of Diamond Edition was released on February 7, 2011.[24]
In honor of the film's 75th anniversary, Bambi was released as part of the Walt Disney Signature Collection on May 23, 2017 (digital) and June 6, 2017 (Blu-ray/DVD/digital combo pack).
Reception
Bambi lost money at the box office for its first release; out of its $1.7 million budget, it only grossed back $1.64 million.[25][26]
The film was released during World War II and lacked access to much of the European market.[27] Roy Disney sent a telegram to his brother Walt after the New York opening of the film that read: "Fell short of our holdover figure by $4,000. Just came from Music Hall. Unable to make any deal to stay third week ... Night business is our problem."[27]
The film is now France's 24th biggest film of all time in terms of admissions with 10.7 million tickets sold.[28]
At the time of the film's release, Bambi received mixed reviews from the critics, mainly because of the lack of fantasy elements in the film and objection towards a dramatic story of animals and their struggle to survive in the woods and avoid the threat of humans.[29] Hunters spoke out against the movie, and in a 1942 edition of the magazine Outdoor Life, editor Raymond Brown wrote that the film was "... the worst insult ever offered in any form to American sportsmen."[30] The New York Times claimed, "In the search for perfection, Mr. Disney has come perilously close to tossing away his whole world of cartoon fantasy."[29] Film critic Manny Farber called it "... entirely unpleasant ..." and agreed with The New York Times statement saying, "In an effort to trump the realism of flesh and blood movies, he [Disney] has given up fantasy, which was pretty much the magic element".[29] Even Disney's daughter Diane complained, saying that Bambi's mother did not need to die. When Walt claimed that he was only following the book, Diane protested, saying that he had taken other liberties before and that Walt Disney could do whatever he wanted.[29]
Today, however, Bambi is viewed as a classic and recouped a considerable amount during the 1947 re-release and subsequent re-issues.[27] The film holds a 90% "Fresh" rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.[31] Critics Mick Martin and Marsha Porter call the film "the crowning achievement of Walt Disney's animation studio".[32]
English film historian Leslie Halliwell wrote that Bambi was "one of Disney's most memorable and brilliant achievements with a great comic character in Thumper and a climactic forest fire sequence that is genuinely thrilling". He concluded that it was "a triumph of the animator's arts."[33]
In June 2008, the American Film Institute revealed its "10 Top 10" – the best ten films in ten classic American film genres – after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. Bambi was acknowledged as the third best film in the animation genre.[34] It is also listed in the Top 25 Horror Movies of all Time by Time magazine. Bambi, Time states, "has a primal shock that still haunts oldsters who saw it 40, 50, 65 years ago."[35]
Legacy
The off-screen villain "Man" has been placed No. 20 on AFI's List of Heroes and Villains.[36]
Some critics have cited parallels between Frank Churchill's theme music for "Man" (which consisted of 3 simple notes) and John Williams's theme music in Jaws (which consists of two notes).[37]
Former Beatle Paul McCartney has credited the shooting death of Bambi's mother for his initial interest in animal rights.[38]
Soon after the film's release, Walt Disney allowed his characters to appear in fire prevention public service campaigns. However, Bambi was only loaned to the government for a year, so a new symbol was needed, leading to the creation of Smokey Bear.[citation needed] Bambi and his mother also make a cameo appearance in the satirical 1955 Donald Duck short No Hunting: drinking from a forest stream, the deer are startled by a sudden trickle of beer cans and other debris, and Bambi's mother tells him, "Man is in the forest. Let's dig out."
In 2006, the Ad Council, in partnership with the United States Forest Service, started a series of Public Service Announcements that feature footage from Bambi and Bambi II for wildfire prevention. During the ads, as the Bambi footage is shown, the screen will momentarily fade into black with the text "Don't let our forests...become once upon a time", and usually (but not always) ending the ads with Bambi's line "Mother, what we gonna do today?" followed by Smokey Bear saying "Only you can prevent wildfires" as the Smokey logo is shown on the screen. The ads air on various television networks, and the Ad Council has also put them on YouTube.[39]
In December 2011, Bambi was among the films selected for preservation in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.[40] In its induction, the Registry said that the film was one of Walt Disney's favorites and that it has been "recognized for its eloquent message of nature conservation."[41]
American Film Institute
Bambi II
Set in the middle of Bambi, Bambi II shows the Great Prince of the Forest struggling to raise the motherless Bambi, and Bambi's doubts about his father's love. The film was released direct-to-video on February 7, 2006. While the film was a direct-to-video release in the United States and other countries, including Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan, it was a theatrical release in some countries, including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Dominican Republic, France, Mexico, the United Kingdom and some other European countries.[citation needed]
Copyrights
The copyrights for Bambi, A Life in the Woods were inherited by Anna Wyler, Salten's daughter, who renewed them in 1954. After her death, Wyler's husband sold the rights to Twin Books, a publishing company which subsequently filed a lawsuit against Disney, claiming Disney owed it money for the continued licensing for the use of the book. Disney countered by claiming that Salten had published the story in 1923 without a copyright notice, thus it immediately entered into the public domain. Disney also argued that if the claimed 1923 publication date was accurate, then the copyright renewal filed in 1954 had been registered after the deadline and was thus invalid. The courts initially upheld Disney's view; however, in 1996, the Ninth Circuit Court reversed the decision on appeal.[42]
References
Further reading |
The world on Thursday marked the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, the first of two nuclear attacks carried out by the United States against Japan in the final days of World War II. According to an estimate released by the city of Hiroshima, more than 192,000 people were killed by the blast or died later from causes related to the bombing.
Thinking about the staggering scale of destruction caused by the 15-kiloton uranium bomb, code-named "Little Boy," that was dropped on Hiroshima naturally raises a question: what if it happened here? Thanks to a site called NukeMap, created by nuclear historian Alex Wellerstein at the Stevens Institute of Technology, we can get an idea of what it would look like if the same bomb were dropped on Minneapolis.
Source: NukeMap
The above map shows a range of effects that would result from the blast if a "Little Boy"-type bomb were dropped on the Star Tribune newsroom in downtown Minneapolis. You can click the image to see a larger version, or view it on the NukeMap site. The innermost yellow ring shows the fireball radius, which at 200 meters would engulf at least part of the Hennepin County Government Center.
The next ring shows the air blast radius at 20 psi, which according to Wellerstein is powerful enough to severely damage or demolish heavy concrete buildings. The fatality rate in this zone would approach 100 percent. This would include Minneapolis City Hall.
The green ring, with a radius of 1.31 km, shows the area in which inhabitants would receive a dose of radiation of at least 500 rem. Without medical treatment, the mortality rate in this circle would be between 50 percent and 90 percent from the acute effects of the radiation alone, according to Wellerstein. It could take anywhere from several hours to several weeks to die.
In the outermost orange ring, with a radius of 2.21 km, victims could expect third degree burns throughout their skin layers. Somewhat fortunately for these poor souls, this would often be painless because the heat would destroy pain nerves. Read more about this map here.
But what about Saint Paul? For a second example, we decided to use the more powerful, 20-kiloton plutonium bomb, dubbed "Fat Man," that was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, three days after the Hiroshima attack.
Source: NukeMap
Here we can see what would happen if "Fat Man" were dropped on the Minnesota capitol. A number of local landmarks, including the Cathedral of St. Paul, the Xcel Energy Center, the Minnesota Children's Museum and CHS Field all fall within the green radiation ring where the mortality rate would be extreme. Read more about this map here.
Finally, we decided to take a look at the possible effects of the largest bomb ever designed, the former USSR's hydrogen "Tsar Bomba," which would have exploded with the force of 100 megatons (that's 100 million tons) of TNT. A 50-megaton version of the bomb, known as Big Ivan, was detonated in a 1961 test.
Here's a video of that explosion:
An initial design for a bomb twice as powerful was scaled back because of the extreme nuclear fallout that would have resulted and the inability of the airplane delivering the bomb to escape the blast.
Here's what the map would look like if the original "Tsar Bomba," as designed, were successfully dropped on Minneapolis.
Source: NukeMap
You can read about this map here, but suffice it to say it's a good thing the cold war is over.
(H/T Washington Post)
Read more:
Japan marks 70th anniversary of Hiroshima bombing
By the numbers: The atomic bombing of Hiroshima
U.S. order for Hiroshima bombing provides glimpse into fateful day
Saving bits of history at Hiroshima's Atomic Bomb Dome |
Dec 27, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Indiana Pacers power forward David West (21) reacts after being called for a technical foul against the Brooklyn Nets during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Indiana Pacers ended the Brooklyn Nets’s three-game winning streak tonight by winning 110-85 . Check out the recap below.
The Good: 110 points. Wow. The offense was great. Seven players were in double-figures and C.J. Watson, Rodney Stuckey and David West scored 17 or more.
Pacers took full advantage of the Nets and ran away with it in the second half. They also held Brook Lopez to zero points on 0-5 shooting.
Oh, and the Brooklyn Nets DJ played great music per usual.
The Bad: Some guy decided to smell Lavoy Allen’s jersey. Weird.
MVP: Rodney Stuckey had a great night. He filled the stat-sheet, attacked the rim, got to the free-throw line and worked on defense. Not to mention he did all of this after suffering a facial contusion yesterday.
LVP: The Nets defense.
Indiana Pacers 110 FinalRecap | Box Score 85 Brooklyn Nets David West, PF 29 MIN | 7-13 FG | 3-4 FT | 5 REB | 5 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 17 PTS | +7 Scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and got into it with KG. A full night.
Solomon Hill, SF 21 MIN | 1-6 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 3 PTS | -1 Rough offensive night after a stretch of good ones.
Roy Hibbert, C 22 MIN | 3-6 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 3 TO | 6 PTS | +4 Nice cheering in the second half.
Rodney Stuckey, PG 36 MIN | 7-13 FG | 5-7 FT | 6 REB | 8 AST | 4 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 20 PTS | +12 Let’s do this every night, Rodney.
George Hill, PG 23 MIN | 5-9 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 5 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 12 PTS | -2 Jarrett Jack went to work on him a bit but another steady game.
Shayne Whittington, PF 2 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | +6 Two assists in garbage time. Cool.
Luis Scola, PF 17 MIN | 4-8 FG | 5-5 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 13 PTS | +12 Bad defense per usual but was a key part of the Pacers second quarter run.
Lavoy Allen, PF 26 MIN | 5-9 FG | 0-2 FT | 7 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 10 PTS | +21 Did Lavoy Allen things and hit hook shots.
Chris Copeland, SF 34 MIN | 5-12 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 12 PTS | +35 With C.J. Miles sidelined, Copeland took full advantage of his playing time — hitting threes, running the break and playing decent defense. |
Two hours before the debate, and two miles from the debate site, Michelle Bell stood in a line that stretched four chilly blocks to see her favorite GOP presidential candidate, Donald Trump.
“I love him,” Bell said. “He doesn’t back down.”
For voters like Bell, Trump’s refusal to participate in the last debate before the first presidential ballots are cast won’t soften their love. Nor will his dubious claim to raise $5 million for veterans at a debate protest event. Or his laughable claim that the news media was picking on him.
“When you’re treated badly, you have to stick up for your rights,” Trump said at his rally, which started 15 minutes after the Fox News debate began. “And that’s what our country has to do.”
The thin-skinned Trump was upset because the Fox News mocked his complaints about host Megyn Kelly, who asked a tough but fair question in a previous debate about Trump’s record of intemperate remarks toward women.
Trump claims Fox apologized at the last minute. Fox claims it merely “acknowledged his concerns.”
I don’t know who is telling the truth, but I do know that Trump is allergic to it.
Will ducking the debate hurt Trump’s standing with parochial Iowa voters or embolden his iconoclastic brand? I trust Trump on this one: He said, “Who the hell knows?”
What I do know: Thursday night was a nightmare for the GOP—another step toward what appears to be a deep and enduring split between the party’s establishment and its angry insurgents, a rude and unruly political circus that reaffirms for independent voters their worst impressions of the Grand Old Party.
Back at the debate, Trump’s main antiestablishment rival took advantage of the first question. “I’m a maniac, and everybody on this stage is stupid, fat, and ugly. And, Ben [Carson], you’re a terrible surgeon,” said Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. “Now that we’ve got the Donald Trump portion out of the way ….”
Followed by Marco Rubio, the Florida senator threatening to finish in the top two or three during Monday’s caucuses. “He’s an entertaining guy,” Rubio said of Trump, dismissively. “The greatest show on earth.”
“I kind of miss Donald Trump,” former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said. “He was a little teddy bear to me.”
Bush didn’t mean it.
In truth, the debate seemed like shadowboxing. For better or worse, almost all the race’s passion and energy was lined up for blocks at Drake University, where Trump held his counter-event. Of the two dozen crowd members I interviewed, 12 were political rubberneckers—supporters of Rubio, Cruz, and Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders who wanted to see the P.T. Barnum of 21st-century politics.
“It’s an event,” Robert Parker of Des Moines told me. “It’s a circus.”
The other half called themselves Trump supporters and spoke of their frustration with an economy that abandoned them, a political class that shafted them, social institutions that failed them, and demographic shifts that will soon make whites an American minority.
To a person, Trump’s backers eerily echoed their candidate’s own talking points to describe their adulation. “I think he’s wonderful,” said Bell, the mother of three from Ames, Iowa. “Huge.”
I asked why he’s wonderful. I asked why he’s huge.
“Because he’s not afraid,” Bell replied. “He doesn’t back down. He’s strong.”
OK, I said. But couldn’t his fearlessness, resolve, and strength drive Trump to do things as president that go against her best interests?
“Sure,” she replied, “but that’s not going to happen. I like his feistiness, his charisma.”
We went back and forth:
“What about issues?”
“He’ll stop ISIS and build up the military,” she replied.
“Every candidate promises to do that.”
“That’s true. He will help wounded warriors.”
“Every candidate promises to do that.”
“You got me there.” Bell chewed silently on our conversation for several seconds before throwing up her hands in surrender.
“I just think he’s strong,” she said.
For now, anyhow, that’s all that matters. |
Man tries to skip paying bus fare with Octopus card sound
Citybus has issued an internal memorandum to its drivers, urging them to be wary of passengers who try to skip the payment of bus fares by imitating the “dood” sound emitted by an Octopus card machine to signal the completion of a transaction.
A Facebook group of Hong Kong bus riders uploaded a copy of a Citibus memo, which relates the case of a male passenger who pretended to have paid the bus fare by playing the “dood” sound on his smartphone when he boarded a 969 bus from Moreton Terrace to Tin Shui Wai, Headline Daily reports.
The bus fare for the 969 bus line is HK$21.4.
The bus driver, however, noticed the “dood” sound was different from the usual tone coming from an Octopus Card machine.
Realizing that no transaction had taken place, he asked the passenger to pay the bus fare and the man did so without putting up an argument.
A Citybus spokesperson confirmed that the incident took place, and the company issued the internal memo for bus drivers to keep an eye on such shenanigans.
According to the Citibus guidelines, bus drivers should politely ask passengers to pay the fare in case of any attempt to skip payment.
Lawyers said any attempt to imitate the Octopus card machine’s “dood” sound for the purpose of skipping payment of a transaction is an act of deceit, which is an offense under the Theft Ordinance punishable with a prison term of up to 10 years.
-– Contact us at [email protected]
BT/AC/CG |
A stoppage time equalizer ahead of plenty of fireworks capped-off the evening for Crew SC in front of the first sellout of the 2016 regular-season, with 20,389 supporters in attendance on Saturday, June 25.
After two League matches on the road, the Black & Gold return to MAPFRE Stadium on July 13 to host Toronto FC led by dominant forward Sebastian Giovinco as Crew SC looks to add to its seven-game unbeaten streak at home with a Trillium Cup clash against the Reds.
With large crowds expected on the horizon this summer, Crew SC is expanding capacity at MAPFRE Stadium for at least a trio of upcoming home matches, once more adding bleacher seating to the north end of the stadium.
The first of three Eastern Conference matches with additional seating kicks-off on July 16 when the Black & Gold host D.C. United for the first of two regular season meetings between the two clubs.
One week later, on July 23 , Crew SC hosts Orlando City as the Lions come to Columbus for the first time this season with Kaká and 2015 MLS Rookie of the Year Cyle Larin. |
Part two of Christiane Amanpour's interview with President Poroshenko, on corruption and freedom of the press, airs on Friday.
(CNN) On the day of his country's 25th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants "the whole Ukraine" to be part of the "Russian Empire."
"It is absolutely the same situation like Russian bombardment in Aleppo," he told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview Wednesday.
"They have only one purpose -- [the] world should be less stable, less secured."
JUST WATCHED What a ceasefire in Ukraine looks like Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH What a ceasefire in Ukraine looks like 03:28
ceasefire deal reached last year in Belarus -- the so-called Minsk agreement -- is a distant memory in eastern Ukraine, where CNN witnessed intense fighting in the last several days.
Unrest there has been on the rise, and Russia has recently conducted military drills in Crimea, the peninsula it annexed from Ukraine in 2014 -- a move most nations do not recognize as legitimate.
Read More |
Server admins and developers beware: The OpenSSL Project plans to release security updates Thursday for its widely used cryptographic library that will fix a high severity vulnerability.
OpenSSL implements multiple cryptographic protocols and algorithms including TLS (Transport Layer Security), which underpins encryption on the Web as part of protocols like HTTPS (HTTP Secure), IMAPS (Internet Message Access Protocol Secure) and SMTPS (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Secure).
The project didn’t say which part of the library is affected, but high severity flaws in OpenSSL are usually a big deal, especially if they impact TLS.
OpenSSL is used by a large number of applications and systems, from Web servers to embedded devices, some of which can take a long time to patch.
Months after the critical Heartbleed vulnerability was announced in OpenSSL last year, hardware and software vendors were still identifying affected products and were releasing updates.
According to the OpenSSL Project’s security policy, the flaws that are flagged as high severity affect common configurations and are likely to be exploitable. Their impact includes things like server denial-of-service, significant leak of server memory or remote code execution.
The issue to be patched Thursday affects the 1.0.1 and 1.0.2 versions of OpenSSL. These are the library’s releases that support TLS v1.1 and TLS v1.2, the newest versions of the protocol. The patched versions will be called 1.0.1p and 1.0.2d.
OpenSSL 0.9.8 and 1.0.0, which the project will still support until the end of this year, are not affected. |
Now you have where you are going to put your plants, you can lay out the watering system.
1. Get a big barrel i had this laying around my house. Cut a hole into it big enough for the sub-pump to fit through.
2. Get a sub Pump this i got at a local swap-meet for 25 dollars (talked down from 45). It has a float shut off so if your water runs low it will stop, and not burn out your motor. it is a 500w, the size and strength depends on how far your going to push the water. This works more then enough for this project. And get a "dirty water" model as supposed to a clean water one so it has little legs to stand on inside the bucket, and wont suck its self to the bottom burning out the motor.
3.Take you tubing or small garden hose and connect them to the sub-pump most fit a garden hose, but i wanted to 3 small tubes, so i jammed three hoses into the cap that screws onto the pump. and filled it in with plumbers putty. Electrical taped the whole thing. I made these tubes just long enough to make it out of the barrel. This was so its easier to screw back on to the pump.
4. Put the pump tubing into the barrel fill barrel full of water (test pump see if you didn't get ripped off) |
A prisoner in Saudi Arabia, who was sentenced to death as a child, faces "death by crucifixion" after a final appeal has been dismissed. Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested on 14 February 2012 when he was just 17, during a crackdown on anti-government protests in the Shiite province of Qatif. He was accused by the authorities of participation in illegal protests and of firearms offences, despite there being no evidence to justify the latter charge.
Ali was initially held at a juvenile offenders facility, where he was denied access to lawyers. Evidence indicates that he was tortured and forced to sign a document which was tantamount to a confession. The signed document formed the basis of the case against him and he was convicted of the alleged offences by the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC). However, the trials failed to meet international standards. Ali and his family have strongly denied the charges against him, but, after the final appeal - which was held in secret and without Ali's knowledge - was dismissed, there are few legal options remaining to oppose the sentence originally handed down on 27 May 2014. It is feared that Ali could be executed in a matter of days.
The case against Ali appears to be based on his familial connection to Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a 53-year old critic of the Saudi regime and a prominent religious leader in the Kingdom, who is his uncle. Mr Al Nimr was sentenced to death by crucifixion on charges including 'insulting the King' and delivering religious sermons that 'disrupt national unity'. This week, it emerged that the authorities plan to execute Ali's uncle on Thursday (17 September) sparking fears that his nephew will also be killed.
Human rights organization Reprieve has urged the European Union to intervene with Saudi Arabia to prevent the killings.
Commenting on the inhumane and unjust sentence, Maya Foa, Director of the death penalty team at legal charity Reprieve said: "No one should have to go through the ordeal Ali has suffered – torture, forced 'confession,' and an unfair, secret trial process, resulting in a sentence of death by 'crucifixion.' But worse still, Ali was a vulnerable child when he was arrested and this ordeal began. His execution – based apparently on the authorities' dislike for his uncle, and his involvement in anti-government protests – would violate international law and the most basic standards of decency. It must be stopped."
Ali is just one of a number of young protestors including Dawoud Hussain al-Marhoon, who have been sentenced to death following involvement in anti-government protests. In January 2015, prominent Saudi blogger Raif Al-Badawi received the first of 1000 lashes as part of his sentence for his statements criticising the Saudi regime in 2012.
In a post to the NGO's website Foa added: "Saudi Arabia's wave of executions since the start of this year has provoked widespread disgust. But these killings, if they are allowed to go ahead, will mark a new low."
Despite global condemnation, the Saudi Government has continued to carry out executions at a high rate since King Salman came to power in January 2015. On May 6th 2015, the Kingdom carried out its 79th execution of the year, and it is already close to surpassing its 2014 total of 87 executions. The Saudi government maintains all cases are tried in accordance with Sharia law, and with strict fair trial standards observed.
According to Amnesty International Saudi Arabia has one of the highest execution rates in the world, with only China and Iran carrying out more judicial killings.
A Facebook page has been created to rally support in protest at the death sentence on Ali Mohammed al-Nimr. |
Join Take Two each weekday at 9 AM where we’ll translate the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that people are talking about. Find us on 89.3 KPCC, hosted by A Martinez.
During the transition, Garcetti says he's been out meeting with Angelenos. The answers to the city's problems, he believes, won't come from experts at City Hall, but from people who live and work in the city. "They have the answers," he says.
Do you have a suggestion for the mayor? Or a good idea? Share it with us in our special web feature, Dear Mayor.
Interview highlights:
On his top two priorities: Well, my first priority is to get out there and listen to Los Angeles. Not to go behind close doors as we've sometimes seen in past transitions and figure out all the answers to L.A.'s problems in a back room in City Hall, but to go out with six different meetings and a seventh one online where I'm listening to Angelenos.
I'll talk about my two top priorities, which are getting the economy back on track and making City Hall work for the people again. In other words, reforming City Hall, our culture, our customer service, technology and our systems. And also just really focusing on making this a more business-friendly place and a place where more jobs will come and will grow and a place where people will feel that prosperity that I grew up with in Los Angeles.
On education, a key concern for participants of Dear Mayor: I'd focus in two or three areas: One, being a strong voice in Sacramento for a higher level of education funding. We cannot continue to be near the basement in America. That is not the way to prepare the workforce for tomorrow.
Second, though — a real emphasis on vocational education. Preparing kids for good careers. That may be computer coding in a classroom that allows somebody to graduate without a college degree earning $70,000 in Silicon Beach at a start-up, or it may mean looking at aerospace and some of the aviation mechanics programs. We badly need to hire aviation mechanics. So a real emphasis on vocational ed.
And lastly, a real emphasis on technology in the classroom. I heard the president speak on Friday. He and I met when he was in Los Angeles, and he talked about a school district in North Carolina that was the second-poorest in the state but was the second-highest in performance because they had ditched the textbook altogether and given every kid a laptop. I think it's really important for us to prepare our children for the way we will learn and the way we will work in the future.
On infrastructure, another key concern of Dear Mayor participants: Well I ran on a platform of being a back-to-basics mayor — of getting those small things. In my own district, we've seen a remarkable transformation because we focused on the street-level health of the community — that basic infrastructure that attracted businesses and people to spend time in their neighborhoods again.
But I'm also going to be honest with Angelenos. This is a problem 70 years in the making. It will require money to pay for it. It will require us to be more efficient. Certainly we can boost the number of miles we pave, for instance, of streets, and I've promised 800 miles. But if we really want to attack 70 years of neglect, we're going to have to figure out a way to more comprehensively pay for that. Maybe with a bond in the future. Maybe with looking at a way we can take some money away from other things and pay it forward.
To me, that is the symbol of the decline of Los Angeles. The potholes that we have, our cracked streets. We have to invest in that as well as in public transportation. It's not just for cars — but the bike lanes and the walkable communities, the sidewalks. I was talking to a woman at our forum in South L.A. this weekend and she said, "I can't go for a walk in my own neighborhood. I am disabled and it's literally too dangerous." That's unacceptable in Los Angeles.
On L.A.'s financial situation and city technology: Well, I would say our [financial] problems are in remission. But they're not completely gone. Or to use another metaphor — we came pretty close to the cliff of bankruptcy and we backed away significantly. But we can still see that cliff. So while this year we've reduced what was the projected deficit by 90 percent, in the coming two or three years, we're going to see that deficit balloon again if we don't keep up the progress that we have of making sure we have pension reform, and that we have reasonable salaries and benefits for our employees.
But I also don't want to just go to our employees and say hey, what can we give up? I want to change the culture at City Hall to say what can you do to increase our efficiencies and revenues? How can we save money? I joked that we have cutting edge technology in Los Angeles during the campaign. But it's cutting edge from 1982. And if we can just do some simple things, for instance, to move our e-mail as we did a couple years ago away from city servers to the cloud — well, that saved us a million bucks that year that we can put into other things like tree-trimming or street-paving.
I think that we have a very backward city hall, so to do the things that I want to do — I've talked to our new controller Ron Galprin and our city attorney and the city council about what can we do to update city hall so we don't have to just ask taxpayers for more taxes or our employees for greater cuts. But we can actually look at a more efficient operation. And then second, boost our economy.
If we have people working, if we have businesses that want to stay, everything is possible. Which is why, that really is my number one emphasis: becoming a business-friendly place, getting to know our local CEOs, going to places like Texas and China and bringing business to L.A., instead of just seeing those places come and take business from us. So that will be really my No. 1, my No. 2, my No. 3 emphasis — is getting the economy back to work.
On union negotiations: I approach it in the same way that I did before the election when I was city council president: very respectfully, very collaboratively, but also very tenaciously. I think that — I don't care who's with or against me. I'm going to be a mayor in three weeks, and I'm here for everybody. And I'm going to have to work closely with our unions as well as every resident in Los Angeles. But what I will say is I'll tell the truth — both to the people of L.A. and to our unions, sit down like I did a few years ago when we were about to go off that cliff and say, "Look, these numbers are bad. If we don't something together, we will literally go bankrupt." And credit to those unions and to people of L.A.
Everybody realized we all had to sacrifice a little and we did back away from that cliff. Our work isn't done. So I'm going to go back to them and ask how can we together control our healthcare costs. How can we together make sure that our pensions don't balloon again? And what can we do to create a more efficient operation in the city of Los Angeles so we don't have a culture of no, a culture that lacks innovation?
I'm going to have a chief technology officer for the first time. We can negotiate things at the table that aren't just about salaries and benefits. We can negotiate collaboration. And to me, that's to some degree what's been missing. We've gotten through the tough times. Let's figure out how to get on track for the next decade, so that the next mayor after me doesn't look at a mess that he inherited.
On his former competitors, Jan Perry, Emanuel Pleitez and Kevin Brown: I've asked them to help me out moving forward. I just didn't want just their help in the campaign. I think Jan Perry, Kevin James, Emmanual have great things to offer this city in education, environment, and business. And I welcome the participation of all Angelenos. In fact, if I can plug our transition website: transition.lacity.org. If anyone out there is interested in working or being on a commission, finding out information if you have an idea to send to us, really I do want to listen to all the people, but those three folks will be intimately involved whether as a formal part of the administration or just close advisors. I hope that each or all will plan on staying in City Hall or coming to City Hall.
On his Transition website and ideas from citizens: It's remarkable how much wisdom is out there on the street. I've always said City Hall doesn't have the answers. But somebody who lives on a particular block, or works on a given street, or who drives through a particular intersection — Angelenos know the answers. And so we're going to continue that process. I'm going to look into continuing to do office hours like I've done for 12 years as a council member, as mayor, where people can come to meet with the mayor face to face. I'm going to continue to do my neighborhood walks that I've done as a council member, so don't be surprised if you live in the city of L.A. and I knock on your door one day and say, "Hey, it's the mayor, what can I do better and what are we doing well and what ideas do you have?" Because I think that's what keeps you continuing to innovate and most of the ideas I get come from everyday Angelenos.
On ending the gross receipts business tax: That [projected $400 million dollar] hole would only exist if we got rid of the tax and it had no impact on businesses staying or coming to Los Angeles. And in fact, we've shown research that if we keep this tax going, little by little, businesses leave. And if you talk to any accountant in the L.A. area and as somebody incorporating a new business, almost every accountant says, "Hey, why don't you do it in Beverly Hills, why don't you do it in Glendale, some place that doesn't have a gross receipts tax?" And for your listeners who don't pay that or know what it is, it's literally a tax that taxes your gross receipts — so you may lose money, and we still tax you. So why would you come to L.A.? Why would you stay in L.A. if you have an option to move?
We put forward a plan already as a council member through our business tax advisory committee, to get rid of this over the next decade and a half. But to cut it in half in the first few years, to send a really strong signal that we won't be No. 88 out of 88 cities in L.A. County anymore, that we're open for business. And in our past experience, when we cut it in particular areas, like in Hollywood, we are able to waive the gross receipts tax for entertainment companies when I was a council member there, and we attracted Technicolor, TV Guide, a whole host of folks — Jimmy Kimmel Show — to Hollywood, because they knew they didn't have to pay that high rate or pay it at all. So we got much more money in our coffers from the sales tax, the property tax, the economic activity that comes from people actually being in L.A. So it will pay for itself as long as we do it carefully over time and I'm very committed to making sure that happens. |
Disney’s My Disney Experience is reporting that there are no showtimes scheduled from now until June 16th, 2017 for the Star Wars : A Galaxy Far, Far Away Stage Show. You can see from the below aerial photo that the stage has been removed at Hollywood Studios.
Star Wars stage removed from Center Stage or hub of Disney's Hollywood Studios. pic.twitter.com/TLqf58L3KG — bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) June 4, 2017
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Want more help planning your next Disney vacation? As an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, my goal is to help you plan the Magic your way. I create customized itineraries, book advanced dining and FastPass+ reservations, monitor for discounts for your vacation, and much much more! And did I mention that my services are FREE? Get in touch toll-free at 1-800-454-4501, via email at mickeytravelssarah@gmail.com or follow along on Facebook. |
Ennio Morricone and Sam Smith won their Oscars last night, but they weren’t the only musicians to win. Kira Roessler, the badass former Black Flag bassist, has been working as a sound effects editor since the late ’90s. She was part of the crew that worked on Mad Max: Fury Road; her title was supervising dialog editor. Last night, Fury Road won an Oscar for Best Sound Editing. And while Roessler wasn’t the one who went onstage to accept the award, sharp-eyed viewers noticed her name on the little scroll on the bottom of the screen.
Roessler has had a pretty fascinating career. She started out in the punk band DC3 and was asked to join Black Flag after founding bassist Chuck Dukowski left the band. She played with them for most of their turbulent final years, and it can’t have been easy to be a woman in hardcore in that absurdly male era. After leaving the band in 1985, she formed the two-bass duo Dos with former Minutemen member Mike Watt, her husband at the time. The two aren’t married anymore, but Dos are intermittently active.
As a sound editor, Roessler has 53 credits on her IMDB page. She’s already won an Emmy for her work on an episode of the HBO miniseries John Adams. That means she’s halfway to and EGOT! And when Black Flag inevitably win their lifetime achievement Grammy, she’ll be that much closer. I don’t know how she gets that Tony, though.
Congratulations to Kira Roessler (Black Flag, dos) for winning an Oscar on Mad Max Fury Road (sound editing) — Tobi Vail (@mstobivail) February 29, 2016
More specifically, Kira Roessler was part of the sound editing crew that won the Oscar for Mad Max Fury Road pic.twitter.com/ppSUMkxJxv — Tobi Vail (@mstobivail) February 29, 2016
Whatever the Academy might be trying to tell you, Mad Max: Fury Road was the best movie of 2015 by an apocalyptic Outback mile, and it is so, so appropriate that at least one Black Flag member was working behind the scenes.
UPDATE: As some of you have pointed out, Roessler did not win the Oscar just because she worked on the team. She was just listed in the broadcast’s new ‘thanks’ chyron. Still cool! |
Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade has missed 58 games over his last three seasons, which averages out to nearly 20 a year. During that time, he was playing alongside former teammate, and current Cleveland Cavalier, LeBron James, while enjoying the freedom that came with that, as well as the bail-out shot-making provided by Chris Bosh, which further lowered his volume. Going into this summer, the 32-year old lobbied for the return of his now superior teammates, not only for wanting to reach team oriented goals such as another championship, but also give his body a break here and there as he’s done since he was in his late 20’s.
When LeBron decided to return to Cleveland, a bit of Wade’s world must have crashed from a basketball perspective. He’s now the only wing on the roster who can create his own shot (a skill that’s bound to decrease to boot) and despite seeing Bosh re-sign for $118 million and Luol Deng signing for $20 million over two years, the pressure and limelight is once more upon him. He’ll be asked to take more shots, handle the rock for extra possessions, set up others, and maybe more importantly, participate defensively.
For those who’ve followed Wade in recent years, it became apparent he hid himself plenty behind LeBron, feeding off James’ ball-pressure and gambling for steals as a result of that. While Deng is a fine defender in his own right, he works best within a team scheme which won’t really help Wade in minimizing his effort on that end.
This begs two questions: Why did the Heat go all in for Wade, Bosh, and Deng? What are they hoping to achieve going forward?
The first one is easy.
They still see themselves as a playoff team, and have every intention of going as far as they can which, admittedly, likely isn’t far. They knew that re-signing Bosh to $118 million, as well as giving Wade $31 million over two years, that they wouldn’t be a huge cap space player anyway, and they value Wade’s legacy to the point that they wish to see him retire in their jersey. There’s not only logic to that notion, but integrity. Pat Riley could have let Chris Bosh sign with Houston, which was widely expected would happen, and he could have saved money by not going after Deng. Losing LeBron would sting for any team, and no one would have said a peep if Riley had felt the team couldn’t overcome such a loss, and started a re-building process instead. To his credit, Mr. Hair-Made-Of-Silk never gave in to defeatist ideologies and the Heat can now once again present a line-up consisting of three All-Stars, albeit some more limited than others.
The second question however, is considerably more difficult to answer.
As admirable as Riley’s intentions were, throwing a combined $169 million after his three main players is an awful lot of money for a core that’s not going to compete for a title in the near future, despite his personal beliefs. Even with Josh McRoberts (at an additional $22.6 million over four seasons) added to the mix, the Heat won’t be stronger than Cleveland or Chicago, and maybe even Washington and Toronto. Playing the 2016 market in two years when Wade is 34 also seems like a stretch, as no big star would want to sign up long-term just to play with Wade in the winter of his career, while seeing a 32-year old Chris Bosh launch long jumpers. Even Luol Deng, should he want to remain with the Heat, will be 31 by then.
Now, critiquing Bosh for shooting jumpers might seem irrelevant given that his role is likely to change this season, with LeBron now gone. Only, Bosh has not carried an offense for four seasons, and while it’s easy to assume he’ll just regain that mentality with the snap of his fingers, it’s anything but.
Four NBA seasons have come and gone with Bosh getting used to being the third option, the bail-out guy, the mid-range shooter, the guy left open. Going from that to being an expected 22 and nine as his best days in Toronto, borders on unrealistic. Bosh will have to increase his volume, have the ball in his hands considerably more, still reserve energy for defense, and remain an overall efficient player. That’s a ton of expectation for a guy who’s been a 17 and seven guy the last four years, and crew comfortable with less defensive attention being thrown his way. If Bosh experiences hardship in lifting his game back to where it once was, more pressure would fall onto Wade which is a problem we covered above.
The most difficult part of Miami’s trio is their lack of shooting. While LeBron was never a Steph Curry-type shooter, he did knock down 38.5 percent of his shots from long-range in his last three seasons with the Heat, and defenders were never that keen on sacking off of him, even when their coach screamed at them on the sidelines. Opponents consistently feared LeBron shooting the long-ball, as he very much so is a rhythm shooter. If he drains his first couple of jumpers, the entire dynamic of his game changes, and he’ll kill you long bombs, mid-range pull-ups, step-backs and every other hyphen terminology out there.
Luol Deng? Not so much.
Deng did progress as a shooter over the years, but he’s made just over 31 percent of his three-point makes over his last two seasons and has never been known as an overall efficient scorer. He, Bosh, and Wade combined for 140 triples last season with Bosh being the best marksman at 33.9 percent on the year. If those percentages don’t change, Miami’s spacing will be among the worst in the league from downtown, which is an area where they already took a hit, losing James Jones, Shane Battier, and likely Ray Allen.
But not all is bad in Miami.
Bosh and Deng will form a formidable defensive duo, as both are long and agile. Deng’s ability to cover perimeter players the one minute, and switch onto defending a big man in the post moments later, will at the least mimic LeBron’s versatility on that end of the floor, and give Bosh some room to free-roam on occasion.
Wade is still a large question mark, but should he somehow stay healthy for a solid 65 games (yes, we’ve reached a point where 65 games out of Dwyane Wade is a good thing), he should be able to use his length to bother shooters. He won’t ever become the aggressive in-your-face pressure defender as he once was, but he remains a high IQ player who understands how to position himself. His lapses on defense in recent years was as mentioned partly due to James’s presence, but his physical woes didn’t help matters. A healthy Wade will look more like than an average defender than a good one, but as long as he doesn’t become a liability, it’s a win for Erik Spoelstra.
Going back to Miami’s long-term outlook, it’s clear they’ll try re-tooling in two summers. It’s fine in theory and there are legitimate benefits in not tanking, especially for free agents looking for a new gym, but isn’t it just keeping around two players for the hell of it, who maybe won’t be there anyway in 2016, just to be a middle-of-the-pack team?
A 34-year old Dwyane Wade isn’t your average 34-year old player. He’s got very bad knees, he doesn’t have a reliable jump shot to stay relevant as an offensive contributor on his own accord, and his game is built off getting to the rim and being punished by the trees. Giving his recent inability to stay on the floor and visible decline, would anyone really be surprised if Wade decided to wave goodbye in two years?
As for Deng, would the Heat dare commit to him long-term in 2016, knowing that potential cap increases will also increase his asking price? There’s a legitimate possibility that neither Wade nor Deng will be members of the Heat by that time, and then what? The Heat would have missed out on two potentially high draft picks just to stay somewhat relevant, and would undoubtedly have lost one of them to Philadelphia as they have top-10 protection in both ’15 and ’16 on a pick they owe.
Overall, the Heat represents one of the more intriguing cases of short-term roster re-construction currently in the league, as every element of their team is currently fluid. Well, except for Bosh and his paycheck which should be pretty safe for now. |
The steep decline in worldwide car sales is causing automakers to stash over-produced cars in unlikely places, like on Nissan's UK test track above. Below, a gallery of places other automakers are stashing un-sold cars.
Since the problems of over-productions are global, we've put together a selection of photos of cars stacking up around the world. Sometimes they're being stacked in strange places like the above shot from Nissan's test track. Usually, the location is more pedestrian with recently produced cars plopped out front of the factories they're produced at. For instance, Land Rovers and Jaguars are now being stacked up outside a plant in Liverpool. Similarly, Ford F-150s are piling high in Detroit near their assembly facility.
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Foreign cars, primarily from Japanese automakers, have filled the holding lots at the Port of Long Beach, waiting to be requested by dealers. The same is occurring in lots and ports in Valencia, Spain and central Britain.
Still, the best use of space has to go to Nissan for using the test track outside of their Sunderland plant in England. The sight of all those Nissan Micras lined up three-wide around the banks of the big turns and in the infield is both strange and kind of sad. It looks as though they've left enough room around the edge to still drive but doing so at high speed would probably be fairly discomforting. Thanks to Adil for the tip!
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Photos: David McNew/Getty Images, ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images, Christopher Furlong/Getty Images, David Goddard/Getty Images,Spencer Platt/Getty Images, Matt Cardy/Getty Images, Nigel Roddis/Reuters
[Guardian via Japanese Car Blog] |
President-elect Donald Trump boarded his plane, without journalists, on his way to the White House to meet with President Obama. (CBS)
This post has been updated.
Like so many presidential election winners before him, Donald Trump on Thursday traveled to the White House to meet with his predecessor. But something about the trip was different.
Per the Associated Press:
Trump departed New York Thursday morning, breaking protocol by not bringing journalists in his motorcade or on his plane to document his historic visit to the White House.
Trump headed to DC without a traditional protective pool, which shouldn't be surprising as I wrote Monday: https://t.co/YTSphqm3cX pic.twitter.com/bZbR0a3Nj2 — Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) November 10, 2016
To be clear, the Trump-Obama summit was covered. Reporters in the president's protective press pool, who follow him just about everywhere, were invited. And White House Correspondents Association president Jeff Mason emailed journalists in the Trump pool Wednesday night to say that they could join, too — even if the president-elect refused to bring them along.
“The White House has been in touch with the Trump team about this but apparently has not gotten a lot of communication back,” Mason wrote. “If Trump advisers are telling their poolers there will be no coverage, that is not correct. The transition pool is invited to cover the meeting at 11:30 in the Oval Office with the White House pool.”
That's nice for now, but beginning Jan. 20, when Trump is sworn in, the real estate mogul will wield full control over media access.
After meeting with Obama and lunching with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump ditched the media again. This was the transition pool report from Politico's Edward-Isaac Dovere shortly after 6 p.m.:
[Trump spokeswoman] Hope Hicks has not responded to any additional emails with questions about the president-elect's status, schedule or whereabouts since changing course and saying he was headed back to New York. If there is any other information that comes in, I will send it immediately, but otherwise I won't have any further pool reports today. Thanks to you all for bearing with my failed attempts to get more out of the transition today.
Trump has offered no assurances that he will be more accommodating than he was on the campaign trail, when he prevented reporters from traveling with him on the same plane. And his first trip to the White House as president-elect doesn't inspire much confidence. |
Who could hurt Miracle Bob? Abused puppy nursed back to health despite losing an eye and being dumped in vet's car park
The black and white puppy is one of the tiniest ever rescued by the RSPCA
Bob was just eight weeks old and weighed less than a kilo when he was found, shivering from the cold and in agony from a ruptured eyeball
The crossbreed is expected to be cared for by RSPCA officers until he has built up his strength and he will then be rehomed
As he gently nuzzles the nose of an RSPCA inspector, it's hard to believe anyone could abandon little Bob - the black and white puppy is one of the tiniest ever rescued by the charity.
But when he was just eight weeks old, and weighed less than a kilo, was found dumped in the car park of a veterinary practice.
Huddled by a cardboard box, he was shivering from extreme cold and in agony suffering from a ruptured eyeball.
Bad start in life: Little Bob, was just eight weeks old, and weighed less than a kilo when he was found dumped in the car park of a veterinary practice suffering from the extreme cold and a ruptured eyeball
Helping hand: RSPCA Inspector Mel Fisher, who has overseen Bob's care, said: 'He is only around eight weeks old and is probably the tiniest puppy that I have known to be abandoned'
Medics at the surgery in St Albans, Hertfordshire, claim it is a miracle Bob, who also suffered painful skin blistering and canine scabies, survived the night.
RSPCA vets took him in and, in a bid to help keep him warm, cut holes in a blue woolly hat to produce a customised knitted jumper.
Unfortunately, his condition was so bad there was nothing they could do to save the sight in one eye.
But despite the disability, Bob, has battled back to health and is happily bounding around.
He is so keen on his customised wooly clothing, he wears it when he goes outside to explore.
Bob is thought to be a crossbreed and RSPCA officers said they expected him to end up being a cross breed between terrier and chihuahua.
RSPCA Inspector Mel Fisher, who has overseen Bob’s care, said: 'I cannot believe that someone would do this to such a poor innocent animal.
Lucky pup: Little Bob was handed into the RSPCA by veterinary staff, who found him abandoned in their car park on April 27
Dumped: ' I just hope we can find the person responsible for dumping him,' said RSPCA Inspector Mel Fisher
Abandoned: It is believed the unwanted pup had been dumped by its owner the previous day and left to fend for itself overnight. He was found wandering around aimlessly in the car park
'He is only around eight weeks old and is probably the tiniest puppy that I have known to be abandoned.
'He really is that small and so I was very surprised he managed to survive after the ordeal he has been through.
She said that due to his size and the bitterly cold weather he was abandoned in, that he was a ' very lucky pup to have survived. '
Snug: In a bid to help keep him warm, RSPCA vets cut holes in a woolly hat to produce a knitted jumper
Mischievous: Little Bob exploring his surroundings - he is expected to be cared for by RSPCA officers until he had built up his strength and then he will be rehomed
Safe at last: Despite the disability, Bob, who is thought to be a cross-breed, has battled back to health
'He is a fighter and is pulling through and I just hope we can find the person responsible for dumping him.'
Bob was handed into the RSPCA by veterinary staff, who found him abandoned in their car park on April 27.
It is believed the unwanted pup had been dumped by its owner the previous day and left to fend for itself overnight.
He had been left in a cardboard box, but had managed to get out, and was wandering around aimlessly in the car park. |
It’s almost a century since the Easter Rising broke out on the streets of the capital. Today, news travels quickly throughout the world with an international press and ever evolving technology, but how was the 1916 reported internationally at the time? The U.S Library of Congress website gives us a good idea, with thousands of editions of U.S newspapers from the period digitised.
Breaking the news of rebellion in Ireland.
The first news Americans would have heard of rebellion in Ireland was published on 25 April, the day after the uprising in Dublin had commenced. Depending on the newspaper they were reading though, they may have believed the rebellion had been stopped in its planning stages. Reporting on the capture of Roger Casement and the sinking of a German arms shipment of the southern coast, The Sun in New York told readers that “An attempt to stir up a ‘revolution’ in Ireland was nipped in the bud when a German auxiliary cruiser, carrying a strong load of German sailors and loaded with stores of rifles and ammunition, was sunk off the coast of Ireland by British patrol warcraft.”
Claims that the rebellion had been “nipped in the bud” were totally at odds with the front pages of evening newspapers however, with The Evening World in New York announcing that ‘Irish in Dublin rise in revolt!’. The paper reported that the Post Office had been seized by Irish revolutionaries, but was “recaptured by troops.” The information of the paper, and other U.S outlets, was largely second-hand information from London. The rebellion was spoken of in the past tense, coming across as more of a riot than a political uprising. To The Evening World “A revolution in Ireland, planned by the German Government, brought about a terrific riot in Dublin yesterday in which twelve citizens were killed by British soldiers and four or five soldiers were killed by the rioters.”
There was a general report today in circles that have been interested in Irish Nationalistic propaganda that the Dublin insurrection had been almost completely successful, and that the Irish Volunteers had captured and held as hostage Lord Wimborne, Lord Lieutenant for Ireland, and other high English officials.
As news of the rebellion broke in the U.S, different versions of what was happening in Dublin spread too. The Washington Herald for example ran a story on the front of its April 26th edition, filed from New York, that indicated a belief there among Irish Americans that the rebellion was proving successful:
The question of blame.
Almost instantly in the American press, as in Britain, the blame for the Dublin violence was firmly placed on the shoulders of Imperial Germany. The rumour of heavy German involvement in orchestrating the violence remained rife throughout the week long rebellion. The Democratic Banner, on 28 April 1916 led with a front page story that ‘Irish Waters are Swarming with German Submarines’, going on to claim “The entire Irish sea and the Atlantic waters to the west and south of Ireland are swarming with German submarines, whose sole task is to sink every troop transport destined for Ireland to quell the rebellion.”
Not content with German submarines in the Irish seas, some news sources began to make claims that German bodies were being discovered in the rubble of Dublin. On 1 May, the New York Tribune noted that “‘bodies of two German leaders reported found in Dublin.” According to the paper there were rumours that German bodies had been found in the rubble of Sackville Street. This was likely misinformation coming from London outlets, but it was often taken at face value.
Interestingly, Jim Larkin also took quite a lot of blame for the events in Dublin. Larkin had left Dublin for America in 1914, following the defeat of the Dublin workers. In America he had thrown himself into radical politics in New York, becoming involved with the Socialist Party of America and the Industrial Workers of the World trade union. One newspaper, The Daily Capital from Oregon, noted that:
Just how deep James Larkin, the turbulent Irish labour leader, and his followers are involved in the Irish revolt is not known, but it is not to be doubted that the man who preached firey opposition to government in 1913 will take advantage of the disturbances in Ireland.
The strength of Larkin’s followers in Ireland was grossly exaggerated, with the El Paso Herald for example claiming on 29 April 1916 that the “rebel forces numbered about 12,000, of which 2,000 were Larkinites and 10,000 were Sinn Féiners.” In reality, there were about 1,500 rebels out in Dublin, and the Irish Citizen Army could only dream of 2,000 armed members in revolt!
Key personalities of interest to the American media.
There was huge interest in the story of Countess Markievicz among the American press, with her ‘riches to rags’ story grabbing the public imagination. It was alleged by The Evening World in New York that she had shot six rebels who refused to follow orders, and they noted that “in mans clothing and flashing a brace of revolvers” she had led an attack on the Shelbourne Hotel.
A name which appeared again and again the American press was that of James Mark Sullivan. Sullivan was an Irish-American lawyer and former Minister to Santa Domingo, not to mention a film director who had established the Film Company of Ireland in March 1916, only months before the insurrection, and ironically the offices of the Film Company went up in flames during the uprising. Sullivan was arrested in Dublin, and of course the arrest of a former American diplomat was a huge story in the states. Sullivan spent some time imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, but was ultimately released. America was at this point ‘neutral’ in the First World War, and so the detention of a high profile U.S figure was perhaps something the British authorities were eager to avoid. Sullivan returned to the U.S, but he pops up again in the War of Independence period in Dublin. Eamon Broy, who worked as an agent for Michael Collins inside Dublin Castle remembered a party at Sullivan’s house in Dublin during the War of Independence in his Witness Statement many years later:
Apples and oranges were laid on a table to make the letters “I.R.A.” and we all enjoyed ourselves for that evening as if we owned Dublin. Tom Cullen spoke there and said that we would all die forMick Collins, “not because of Mick Collins, but because of what he stands for”. Mick was persuaded to recite “The Lisht”, which he did with his own inimitable accent. When he was finished, there was a rush for him by everybody in the place to seize him.
In later years Sullivan retired to Florida in the United States, but upon his death his body was taken to Dublin and buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. He is certainly a forgotten figure of the revolutionary period, and you have to wonder how with that kind of story!
The leadership figures caused some confusion for the press, with claims Connolly had died during the rebellion, and Patrick Pearse widely named ‘Peter’. The Day Book,a popular Chicago newspaper noted that “The backbone of the rebellion was broken when James Connolly, ‘General of the Irish Army, was fatally wounded at Liberty Hall. When Peter Pearce, leader of the rebels, was wounded in the leg most of his followers surrendered.”
The response of Irish America to events in Dublin.
In New York, it was reported that a meeting of the United Irish League of America condemned the rebellion, but that it was interrupted by several men and women, while ‘outside of the hall’ scores cheered Sir Roger Casement and Germany and “loudly denounced John Redmond, leader of the Irish nationalists in the British parliament.” A meeting was held in New York in support of the aims of the rebellion, with a reported attendance of 1,500 in many newspapers. Deutschland Uber Alles, the Wearing of the Green and the American national anthem were all performed by a band, and leading figures of the Irish American community such as the exiled radical John Devoy spoke.
The Kentucky Irish American made its feelings on executions perfectly clear on 6 May 1916, 6 days before James Connolly would be shot tied to a chair in Dublin: “If the sequel to the fighting at Dublin is wholesome hanging and shooting of Irishmen by English officials, there is no doubt of the outcome. Under such circumstances a war of revolution is a foregone conclusion.” |
He is the new underclass among writers; the guy has no wounds. He is male and heterosexual; he is not a Dalit; he has never been beaten by the spouse; nor abandoned by parents as a child. He is never depressed, not even in the mountains, not even when there is a power cut and a dog howls. He has never been evicted from his place of birth, so he does not go there. And for the same reason, he is unable to write with sentimental anger about the exact green of the “backwaters", how heavenly the smell of the egg roast is, and how beautiful the healthy women on the morning streets who never dry their hair properly before leaving home are. He does not live in the West under the supervision of a dominant, foreign and affluent race, so he has no reason to seek refuge in his identity. He is not a wealthy feudal lord in decline, or a middle-aged humanities intellectual who wishes to get laid through “empathy"; as a result, he is incapable of proxy-feminism, Marxism, and the theft of wounds from the truly wounded. He is not even fat.
He is a writer who does not find an opportunity to be angry; when the month’s outrage begins, he does not have a side, he does not belong to any group of people with dissimilar noses. The guy is doomed.
How everyone became a victim is the same story as how everyone became a narcissist. The most naïve of them all was Narcissus, who only fell in love with his own reflection; many after him saw, and see, their own image in the reflections of others. This is at the heart of the most powerful, and probably corrupt, aspect of storytelling—the moment when the reader “relates" to a character. For centuries, storytellers who could create familiar characters succeeded more than those who were more interested in the abstract fringe. But now the storyteller is not required. People seek a reminder of themselves not merely in stories, but in almost everything. A fierce democracy is taking over the idea of celebrity—everyone is photographed, everyone is called beautiful and a genius. And, as they do in the star signs, they see a special tribute about themselves in the hysteria of a collective wound.
Today there is something triumphant about having a problem. There were a few reminders in July. An American woman mailed her team: “I’m taking today and tomorrow to focus on my mental health. Hopefully I’ll be back next week refreshed and back to 100%." This could have been a joke many of us have sent to our colleagues, but her boss knew it was not because she had sent similar mails before. He mailed her with compliments for using sick days for mental health. He was not joking either. “I can’t believe this is not standard practice at all organizations," he said. The exchange received one of the highest rewards of our modern times—it went viral. It caught the attention of Facebook’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, who, in a post, praised the boss for his “compassion". She herself is attempting to create an organization where people are not penalized for emotional upheavals.
The new age is trying to eradicate notions of weaknesses, of flaws, and to persuade the world to expand the idea of human normality.
But some among the clinically depressed may have been irritated, as they were when actor Deepika Padukone suddenly became their ambassador. A few I spoke to then refused to believe that she was one of them, that she was truly depressed. It was as though they owned a turf of serious dejection and a person with vulgar joys was encroaching. Their discomfort lies in people confusing transient sorrow with depression.
If everyone begins to claim they are depressed, without fully understanding what it means, what becomes of those who are to a severe degree? There is a line, they seem to suggest, between personality and mental health. Some people should be asked to go seek meaning or swim or run; some people should be prescribed drugs. But all of them claim to be depressed today. All of them will, as capitalism tries to save itself from an unhappy workforce, ask for days off “to focus" on their mental health. And bosses will be expected to compliment them for being forthright.
When people claim they have a problem, it is not acceptable any more to tell them that millions face such issues without a whimper, or to ask them to work hard to overcome it, or to face it with greater fortitude. The remarkable quality of the modern problem is not any more that it is a stigma, but that it has become sacred.
This month there was an online campaign which demanded that the first day of the menstrual cycle qualify for leave. It swiftly became popular. Any woman who refused to accept that periods were that serious a matter was condemned.
Men are an enthusiastic part of public laments, but issues that are male-specific are rare. They do keep getting requests from delicate new-age men to cry more. There must be something great about crying that some savants know, it is their chief solution for improving men. “If all men were suddenly ok with crying, 70% of our problems would disappear," tweeted the comedian and actor Kumail Nanjiani. It is not clear if he meant men should cry privately or on the shoulders of their women (greatly annoying them, surely, if done too often), or should they cry in the malls?
The modern tendency to glorify problems has some obvious consequences. The rich will always be louder than the rest, and the finite empathy of a society is then wasted in self-absorbed privileged lament rather than being spent in concern for the truly unfortunate.
The festive communal commotion of “we-have-problems" reminds me of the Chennai of my childhood when there would be this funeral procession and all the onlookers, including the town alcoholics, would crash the concourse, dancing and whistling, and the actual grim mourners would disappear in the mobs.
Manu Joseph is a journalist and a novelist, most recently of The Illicit Happiness Of Other People.
The writer tweets at @manujosephsan |
The countdown is on for the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration 24-Hour event, May 22-23. If you’re anything like me, you like to plan your day in the parks based on where you want to eat. In addition to the cupcakes and drinks I recently shared on the Disney Parks Blog, I’ve compiled the ultimate foodie guide to specialty food offerings during the 24-Hour event at the Disneyland Resort:
Disneyland park
Jolly Holiday Bakery Café
Disneyland Diamond Celebration Cupcake
Carnation Café
Country-fried Chicken Sandwich with honey-mustard coleslaw on brioche bun
Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor
Diamond Anniversary Ice Cream Sandwich: choice of ice cream between two sugar cookies
Ice cream sundae served in a souvenir kitchen sink
Plaza Inn
Fried Chicken and Waffles
Village Haus Restaurant
Flatbread Special with buffalo chicken, Serrano chile slices and chipotle aioli
Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port
Supernova Pizza Special with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, salami, chorizo, chicken sausage, bacon, pepperoncini and seasoned parmesan
Stage Door Café
Mocha Chip Funnel Cake
Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante
Street Taco Trio – three street-style tacos with beef, chicken or carnitas on soft corn tortillas garnished with cilantro and onion, topped with salsa verde served with rice and beans
French Market Restaurant
Creamy Corn Chowder – garnished with roasted corn and black eyed peas, maque choux in a sourdough bread boule
Slow-Roasted Louisiana Beef Stew – simmered with seasoned carrots, peas, red potatoes and mushrooms in a sourdough bread boule
Market French Dip – thinly-sliced slow-roasted beef with crispy onion straws on a potato roll with a side of handmade Cajun chips and au jus
N’Awlins Salad – lettuce medley, julienned yams, Granny Smith apples, caramelized pecans, lentils, tart cherries and a sweet citrus vinaigrette
Royal Street Chicken Caesar Salad – crispy romaine lettuce, citrus chicken, parmesan cheese, croutons with a traditional Caesar dressing
Shrimp Po’Boy – popcorn shrimp, mayonnaise, sliced tomato, shredded lettuce seasoned with vinegar and oil, served on a toasted potato roll with house-made potato chips and fruit
Blue Bayou Restaurant
Creole-brined Bone-in Pork Chop served with roasted garlic Boursin-mashed potatoes, sautéed baby spinach, champagne pear coulis and tomato relish
Café Orleans
Bananas Foster French Toast – thick-cut brioche bread battered and grilled then topped with fresh caramelized bananas and rich caramel sauce, served with bacon
Tomorrowland Terrace
Breakfast Burrito (available from 11 p.m. – 6 a.m.)
Hungry Bear Restaurant
Pulled Pork Hot Dog with citrus slaw, fried jalapenos and fresh cilantro
Disney California Adventure park
Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café
Disneyland Diamond Celebration Cupcake
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream
S’mores Bar – vanilla or chocolate ice cream bar dipped in milk or dark chocolate with fluff drizzle and graham cracker crumbs
Award Wieners
“The Insomniac” – bacon, egg and sausage dog with pepper jack cheese, topped with a maple crunch
Wine Country Trattoria
Surf & Turf – roasted lobster tail and grilled sirloin, mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables and demi-glace
Special two-course, prix fixe breakfast menu from 12-1:45 a.m. with reserved viewing for a special 3 a.m. showing of “World of Color.”
Lucky Fortune Cookery
Steamed chicken and vegetable dumpling bowl served with rice, vegetables and rice wine vinegar dipping sauce
Cozy Cone Motel
Barbecued pulled pork and slaw cone
Ariel’s Grotto
Special 2-course, prix fixe breakfast menu from 12-1:45 a.m. with reserved viewing for a special 3 a.m. showing of “World of Color.”
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta
Mac and cheese pizza – crispy pizza topped with sun-dried tomato sauce, crispy bacon, mozzarella and creamy mac and cheese, topped with bacon pesto
For reservations, visit Disneyland.com/dine or call 714-781-DINE. |
Image caption John Clancy said he accepted he had made mistakes
The leader of Birmingham City Council, John Clancy, has resigned following criticism of his handling of industrial action by refuse workers.
In a statement, he said "frenzied media speculation" about the dispute was beginning to harm both the council and the Birmingham Labour Party.
Labour councillors last week proposed a no-confidence motion in Mr Clancy.
He said he accepted he had made mistakes "for which he is sorry" and takes "full responsibility".
The cost of Birmingham's bin strike
Workers resumed their strike on 1 September after a deal, which had seen the seven-week action suspended, fell apart.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Bin bags have piled up in Birmingham during the dispute
Mr Clancy, who has been leader of Birmingham City Council since December 2015, said the actions he took to negotiate an end to an "extremely complex and difficult industrial dispute were done with the best of intentions".
He also mentioned in his statement that "events in his personal life" had convinced him there were "issues of far more importance than Birmingham City Council".
Mr Clancy ended it by saying: "I really am looking forward to spending more time with my family."
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Unite calls for Birmingham City Council chief executive to resign
Ian Ward is now acting leader of the council.
Refuse workers started strike action on 30 June in a dispute over job re-grading and shift patterns. The Unite union says restructuring plans threaten the jobs of more than 120 staff, while the council says the changes will modernise the service and save £5m a year.
The action was suspended on 16 August when conciliation service Acas said the city council had agreed certain posts would not be made redundant, and bin collections resumed.
But on 31 August, the council said it was issuing redundancy notices and the industrial action restarted the following day.
Urgent update
Mr Clancy's announcement came just after it emerged that the government has written to Birmingham's Improvement Panel asking it for an urgent update into events.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Unite is also calling for the council chief executive Stella Manzie to leave
The panel, which was overseeing the running of the council, was set up in 2014 following an inquiry into the so-called Trojan Horse letter and council services.
In August it said it was satisfied the council could continue under its own steam.
But Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for the Department of Communities and Local Government has written to the panel saying that "clearly, there have been some developments since then which could have major implications" both for the council's leadership and finance and asked for an urgent update before he decided what the next steps should be.
Andy Street, Metro Mayor for the West Midlands, tweeted to say Mr Clancy has been a "generous colleague".
Unite's assistant general secretary Howard Beckett told BBC WM Mr Clancy "made a mistake by claiming there was no deal in place when everybody knew there was and Acas recorded the deal".
"I'm just sorry the whole situation has got to this. He did an honourable deal and, I believe we would have had a settlement long ago and he made a crucial error."
Mr Beckett also stated interim chief executive of Birmingham City Council, Stella Manzie, "must follow in John Clancy's footsteps and resign".
Image copyright @outinbrum Image caption Residents in one part of the city marked 50 days since their rubbish had last been collected
"Stella Manzie has twice blocked Unite lawyers meeting council lawyers to discuss the fictitious equal pay concerns she is using to scupper the agreement that Unite reached with the council at Acas.
"John Clancy in his statement has made it clear this agreement was reached with the full knowledge of the cabinet."
Birmingham's nine Labour MPs had previously written a letter describing the city council as "an obstacle to moving forward" in resolving the bin strike.
In the letter addressed to Mr Clancy, MPs said delays to finding a solution were "unacceptable".
The Labour-run council said a swift end to the dispute was its "top priority".
Image caption Rubbish piles up in Sparkhill, Birmingham
David Jamieson, the Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, said Mr Clancy "made the right choice" to resign.
"He's stood back because he feels he's an impediment to Birmingham going forward. Birmingham has an excellent set of councillors to choose from to choose a new leader."
Analysis by Kathryn Stanczyszyn, political reporter, BBC Birmingham
John Clancy's resignation was seen as inevitable by some following his comments there was never any deal with Unite over the bin dispute.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Unite have made it clear they feel a deal was not honoured
What followed was a series of allegations and reported evidence there had indeed been some kind of deal - and not only that, but John Clancy had overstepped the mark and overplayed his hand in promising it.
Whilst many people believe his intentions were good, his failure to admit mistakes in that crucial 'no deal' interview meant there was nowhere to go.
Confidence in the leader was crumbling and his resignation may have been influenced by three things: a critical letter from Labour MPs, a reported private meeting of his cabinet where all but one called for him to step down, and a government letter asking for an 'urgent update' from the independent panel monitoring the way the council keeps its house in order.
Unite have made it clear they feel they have a deal and they want it honoured. And that could mean strike action for some time to come. |
Special thanks to Robert Sams for the development of Seignorage Shares and insights regarding how to correctly value volatile coins in multi-currency systems
Note: we are not planning on adding price stabilization to ether; our philosophy has always been to keep ether simple to minimize black-swan risks. Results of this research will likely go into either subcurrencies or independent blockchains
One of the main problems with Bitcoin for ordinary users is that, while the network may be a great way of sending payments, with lower transaction costs, much more expansive global reach, and a very high level of censorship resistance, Bitcoin the currency is a very volatile means of storing value. Although the currency had by and large grown by leaps and bounds over the past six years, especially in financial markets past performance is no guarantee (and by efficient market hypothesis not even an indicator) of future results of expected value, and the currency also has an established reputation for extreme volatility; over the past eleven months, Bitcoin holders have lost about 67% of their wealth and quite often the price moves up or down by as much as 25% in a single week. Seeing this concern, there is a growing interest in a simple question: can we get the best of both worlds? Can we have the full decentralization that a cryptographic payment network offers, but at the same time have a higher level of price stability, without such extreme upward and downward swings?
Last week, a team of Japanese researchers made a proposal for an "improved Bitcoin", which was an attempt to do just that: whereas Bitcoin has a fixed supply, and a volatile price, the researchers' Improved Bitcoin would vary its supply in an attempt to mitigate the shocks in price. However, the problem of making a price-stable cryptocurrency, as the researchers realized, is much different from that of simply setting up an inflation target for a central bank. The underlying question is more difficult: how do we target a fixed price in a way that is both decentralized and robust against attack?
To resolve the issue properly, it is best to break it down into two mostly separate sub-problems:
How do we measure a currency's price in a decentralized way? Given a desired supply adjustment to target the price, to whom do we issue and how do we absorb currency units?
Decentralized Measurement
For the decentralized measurement problem, there are two known major classes of solutions: exogenous solutions, mechanisms which try to measure the price with respect to some precise index from the outside, and endogenous solutions, mechanisms which try to use internal variables of the network to measure price. As far as exogenous solutions go, so far the only reliable known class of mechanisms for (possibly) cryptoeconomically securely determining the value of an exogenous variable are the different variants of Schellingcoin - essentially, have everyone vote on what the result is (using some set chosen randomly based on mining power or stake in some currency to prevent sybil attacks), and reward everyone that provides a result that is close to the majority consensus. If you assume that everyone else will provide accurate information, then it is in your interest to provide accurate information in order to be closer to the consensus - a self-reinforcing mechanism much like cryptocurrency consensus itself.
The main problem with Schellingcoin is that it's not clear exactly how stable the consensus is. Particularly, what if some medium-sized actor pre-announces some alternative value to the truth that would be beneficial for most actors to adopt, and the actors manage to coordinate on switching over? If there was a large incentive, and if the pool of users was relatively centralized, it might not be too difficult to coordinate on switching over.
There are three major factors that can influence the extent of this vulnerability:
Is it likely that the participants in a schellingcoin actually have a common incentive to bias the result in some direction? Do the participants have some common stake in the system that would be devalued if the system were to be dishonest? Is it possible to "credibly commit" to a particular answer (ie. commit to providing the answer in a way that obviously can't be changed)?
(1) is rather problematic for single-currency systems, as if the set of participants is chosen by their stake in the currency then they have a strong incentive to pretend the currency price is lower so that the compensation mechanism will push it up, and if the set of participants is chosen by mining power then they have a strong incentive to pretend the currency's price is too high so as to increase the issuance. Now, if there are two kinds of mining, one of which is used to select Schellingcoin participants and the other to receive a variable reward, then this objection no longer applies, and multi-currency systems can also get around the problem. (2) is true if the participant selection is based on either stake (ideally, long-term bonded stake) or ASIC mining, but false for CPU mining. However, we should not simply count on this incentive to outweigh (1).
(3) is perhaps the hardest; it depends on the precise technical implementation of the Schellingcoin. A simple implementation involving simply submitting the values to the blockchain is problematic because simply submitting one's value early is a credible commitment. The original SchellingCoin used a mechanism of having everyone submit a hash of the value in the first round, and the actual value in the second round, sort of a cryptographic equivalent to requiring everyone to put down a card face down first, and then flip it at the same time; however, this too allows credible commitment by revealing (even if not submitting) one's value early, as the value can be checked against the hash.
A third option is requiring all of the participants to submit their values directly, but only during a specific block; if a participant does release a submission early they can always "double-spend" it. The 12-second block time would mean that there is almost no time for coordination. The creator of the block can be strongly incentivized (or even, if the Schellingcoin is an independent blockchain, required) to include all participations, to discourage or prevent the block maker from picking and choosing answers. A fourth class of options involves some secret sharing or secure multiparty computation mechanism, using a collection of nodes, themselves selected by stake (perhaps even the participants themselves), as a sort of decentralized substitute for a centralized server solution, with all the privacy that such an approach entails.
Finally, a fifth strategy is to do the schellingcoin "blockchain-style": every period, some random stakeholder is selected, and told to provide their vote as a [id, value] pair, where value is the actual valid and id is an identifier of the previous vote that looks correct. The incentive to vote correctly is that only tests that remain in the main chain after some number of blocks are rewarded, and future voters will note attach their vote to a vote that is incorrect fearing that if they do voters after them will reject their vote.
Schellingcoin is an untested experiment, and so there is legitimate reason to be skeptical that it will work; however, if we want anything close to a perfect price measurement scheme it's currently the only mechanism that we have. If Schellingcoin proves unworkable, then we will have to make do with the other kinds of strategies: the endogenous ones.
Endogenous Solutions
To measure the price of a currency endogenously, what we essentially need is to find some service inside the network that is known to have a roughly stable real-value price, and measure the price of that service inside the network as measured in the network's own token. Examples of such services include:
Computation (measured via mining difficulty)
Transaction fees
Data storage
Bandwidth provision
A slightly different, but related, strategy, is to measure some statistic that correllates indirectly with price, usually a metric of the level of usage; one example of this is transaction volume.
The problem with all of these services is, however, that none of them are very robust against rapid changes due to technological innovation. Moore's Law has so far guaranteed that most forms of computational services become cheaper at a rate of 2x every two years, and it could easily speed up to 2x every 18 months or 2x every five years. Hence, trying to peg a currency to any of those variables will likely lead to a system which is hyperinflationary, and so we need some more advanced strategies for using these variables to determine a more stable metric of the price.
First, let us set up the problem. Formally, we define an estimator to be a function which receives a data feed of some input variable (eg. mining difficulty, transaction cost in currency units, etc) D[1] , D[2] , D[3] ..., and needs to output a stream of estimates of the currency's price, P[1] , P[2] , P[3] ... The estimator obviously cannot look into the future; P[i] can be dependent on D[1] , D[2] ... D[i] , but not D[i+1] . Now, to start off, let us graph the simplest possible estimator on Bitcoin, which we'll call the naive estimator: difficulty equals price.
Unfortunately, the problem with this approach is obvious from the graph and was already mentioned above: difficulty is a function of both price and Moore's law, and so it gives results that depart from any accurate measure of the price exponentially over time. The first immediate strategy to fix this problem is to try to compensate for Moore's law, using the difficulty but artificially reducing the price by some constant per day to counteract the expected speed of technological progress; we'll call this the compensated naive estimator. Note that there are an infinite number of versions of this estimator, one for each depreciation rate, and all of the other estimators that we show here will also have parameters.
The way that we will select the parameter for our version is by using a variant of simulated annealing to find the optimal values, using the first 780 days of the Bitcoin price as "training data". The estimators are then left to perform as they would for the remaining 780 days, to see how they would react to conditions that were unknown when the parameters were optimized (this technique, knows as "cross-validation", is standard in machine learning and optimization theory). The optimal value for the compensated estimator is a drop of 0.48% per day, leading to this chart:
The next estimator that we will explore is the bounded estimator. The way the bounded estimator works is somewhat more complicated. By default, it assumes that all growth in difficulty is due to Moore's law. However, it assumes that Moore's law cannot go backwards (ie. technology getting worse), and that Moore's law cannot go faster than some rate - in the case of our version, 5.88% per two weeks, or roughly quadrupling every year. Any growth outside these bounds it assumes is coming from price rises or drops. Thus, for example, if the difficulty rises by 20% in one period, it assumes that 5.88% of it is due to technological advancements, and the remaining 14.12% is due to a price increase, and thus a stabilizing currency based on this estimator might increase supply by 14.12% to compensate. The theory is that cryptocurrency price growth to a large extent happens in rapid bubbles, and thus the bounded estimator should be able to capture the bulk of the price growth during such events.
There are more advanced strategies as well; the best strategies should take into account the fact that ASIC farms take time to set up, and also follow a hysteresis effect: it's often viable to keep an ASIC farm online if you already have it even when under the same conditions it would not be viable to start up a new one. A simple approach is looking at the rate of increase of the difficulty, and not just the difficulty itself, or even using a linear regression analysis to project difficulty 90 days into the future. Here is a chart containing the above estimators, plus a few others, compared to the actual price:
Note that the chart also includes three estimators that use statistics other than Bitcoin mining: a simple and an advanced estimator using transaction volume, and an estimator using the average transaction fee. We can also split up the mining-based estimators from the other estimators:
See https://github.com/ethereum/economic-modeling/tree/master/stability for the source code that produced these results.
Of course, this is only the beginning of endogenous price estimator theory; a more thorough analysis involving dozens of cryptocurrencies will likely go much further. The best estimators may well end up using a combination of different measures; seeing how the difficulty-based estimators overshot the price in 2014 and the transaction-based estimators undershot the price, the two combined could end up being substantially more accurate. The problem is also going to get easier over time as we see the Bitcoin mining economy stabilize toward something closer to an equilibrium where technology improves only as fast as the general Moore's law rule of 2x every 2 years.
To see just how good these estimators can get, we can note from the charts that they can cancel out at least 50% of cryptocurrency price volatility, and may increase to ~67% once the mining industry stabilizes. Something like Bitcoin, if it becomes mainstream, will likely be somewhat more unstable than gold, but not that much more unstable - the only difference between BTC and gold is that the supply of gold can actually increase as the price goes higher since more can be mined if miners are willing to pay higher costs, so there is an implicit dampening effect, but the supply elasticity of gold is surprisingly not that high; production barely increased at all during the run-ups in price during the 1970s and 2000s. The price of gold stayed within a range of 4.63x ($412 to $1980) in the last decade; logarithmically reducing that by two thirds gives a range of 1.54x, not much higher than EUR/USD (1.37x), JPY/USD (1.64x) or CAD/USD (1.41x); thus, endogenous stabilization may well prove quite viable, and may be preferred due to its lack of tie to any specific centralized currency or authority.
The other issue that all of these estimators have to contend with is exploitability: if transaction volume is used to determine the currency's price, then an attacker can manipulate the price very easily by simply sending very many transactions. The average transaction fees paid in Bitcoin are about $5000 per day; at that price in a stabilized currency the attacker would be able to halve the price. Mining difficulty, however, is much more difficult to exploit simply because the market is so large. If a platform does not want to accept the inefficiencies of wasteful proof of work, an alternative is to build in a market for other resources, such as storage, instead; Filecoin and Permacoin are two efforts that attempt to use a decentralized file storage market as a consensus mechanism, and the same market could easily be dual-purposed to serve as an estimator.
The Issuance Problem
Now, even if we have a reasonably good, or even perfect, estimator for the currency's price, we still have the second problem: how do we issue or absorb currency units? The simplest approach is to simply issue them as a mining reward, as proposed by the Japanese researchers. However, this has two problems:
Such a mechanism can only issue new currency units when the price is too high; it cannot absorb currency units when the price is too low. If we are using mining difficulty in an endogenous estimator, then the estimator needs to take into account the fact that some of the increases in mining difficulty will be a result of an increased issuance rate triggered by the estimator itself.
If not handled very carefully, the second problem has the potential to create some rather dangerous feedback loops in either direction; however, if we use a different market as an estimator and as an issuance model then this will not be a problem. The first problem seems serious; in fact, one can interpret it as saying that any currency using this model will always be strictly worse than Bitcoin, because Bitcoin will eventually have an issuance rate of zero and a currency using this mechanism will have an issuance rate always above zero. Hence, the currency will always be more inflationary, and thus less attractive to hold. However, this argument is not quite true; the reason is that when a user purchases units of the stabilized currency then they have more confidence that at the time of purchase the units are not already overvalued and therefore will soon decline. Alternatively, one can note that extremely large swings in price are justified by changing estimations of the probability the currency will become thousands of times more expensive; clipping off this possibility will reduce the upward and downward extent of these swings. For users who care about stability, this risk reduction may well outweigh the increased general long-term supply inflation.
BitAssets
A second approach is the (original implementation of the) "bitassets" strategy used by Bitshares. This approach can be described as follows:
There exist two currencies, "vol-coins" and "stable-coins". Stable-coins are understood to have a value of $1. Vol-coins are an actual currency; users can have a zero or positive balance of them. Stable-coins exist only in the form of contracts-for-difference (ie. every negative stable-coin is really a debt to someone else, collateralized by at least 2x the value in vol-coins, and every positive stable-coin is the ownership of that debt). If the value of someone's stable-coin debt exceeds 90% of the value of their vol-coin collateral, the debt is cancelled and the entire vol-coin collateral is transferred to the counterparty ("margin call") Users are free to trade vol-coins and stable-coins with each other.
And that's it. The key piece that makes the mechanism (supposedly) work is the concept of a "market peg": because everyone understands that stable-coins are supposed to be worth $1, if the value of a stable-coin drops below $1, then everyone will realize that it will eventually go back to $1, and so people will buy it, so it actually will go back to $1 - a self-fulfilling prophecy argument. And for a similar reason, if the price goes above $1, it will go back down. Because stable-coins are a zero-total-supply currency (ie. each positive unit is matched by a corresponding negative unit), the mechanism is not intrinsically unworkable; a price of $1 could be stable with ten users or ten billion users (remember, fridges are users too!).
However, the mechanism has some rather serious fragility properties. Sure, if the price of a stable-coin goes to $0.95, and it's a small drop that can easily be corrected, then the mechanism will come into play, and the price will quickly go back to $1. However, if the price suddenly drops to $0.90, or lower, then users may interpret the drop as a sign that the peg is actually breaking, and will start scrambling to get out while they can - thus making the price fall even further. At the end, the stable-coin could easily end up being worth nothing at all. In the real world, markets do often show positive feedback loops, and it is quite likely that the only reason the system has not fallen apart already is because everyone knows that there exists a large centralized organization (BitShares Inc) which is willing to act as a buyer of last resort to maintain the "market" peg if necessary.
Note that BitShares has now moved to a somewhat different model involving price feeds provided by the delegates (participants in the consensus algorithm) of the system; hence the fragility risks are likely substantially lower now.
SchellingDollar
An approach vaguely similar to BitAssets that arguably works much better is the SchellingDollar (called that way because it was originally intended to work with the SchellingCoin price detection mechanism, but it can also be used with endogenous estimators), defined as follows:
There exist two currencies, "vol-coins" and "stable-coins". Vol-coins are initially distributed somehow (eg. pre-sale), but initially no stable-coins exist. Users may have only a zero or positive balance of vol-coins. Users may have a negative balance of stable-coins, but can only acquire or increase their negative balance of stable-coins if they have a quantity of vol-coins equal in value to twice their new stable-coin balance (eg. if a stable-coin is $1 and a vol-coin is $5, then if a user has 10 vol-coins ($50) they can at most reduce their stable-coin balance to -25) If the value of a user's negative stable-coins exceeds 90% of the value of the user's vol-coins, then the user's stable-coin and vol-coin balances are both reduced to zero ("margin call"). This prevents situations where accounts exist with negative-valued balances and the system goes bankrupt as users run away from their debt. Users can convert their stable-coins into vol-coins or their vol-coins into stable-coins at a rate of $1 worth of vol-coin per stable-coin, perhaps with a 0.1% exchange fee. This mechanism is of course subject to the limits described in (2). The system keeps track of the total quantity of stable-coins in circulation. If the quantity exceeds zero, the system imposes a negative interest rate to make positive stable-coin holdings less attractive and negative holdings more attractive. If the quantity is less than zero, the system similarly imposes a positive interest rate. Interest rates can be adjusted via something like a PID controller, or even a simple "increase or decrease by 0.2% every day based on whether the quantity is positive or negative" rule.
Here, we do not simply assume that the market will keep the price at $1; instead, we use a central-bank-style interest rate targeting mechanism to artificially discourage holding stable-coin units if the supply is too high (ie. greater than zero), and encourage holding stable-coin units if the supply is too low (ie. less than zero). Note that there are still fragility risks here. First, if the vol-coin price falls by more than 50% very quickly, then many margin call conditions will be triggered, drastically shifting the stable-coin supply to the positive side, and thus forcing a high negative interest rate on stable-coins. Second, if the vol-coin market is too thin, then it will be easily manipulable, allowing attackers to trigger margin call cascades.
Another concern is, why would vol-coins be valuable? Scarcity alone will not provide much value, since vol-coins are inferior to stable-coins for transactional purposes. We can see the answer by modeling the system as a sort of decentralized corporation, where "making profits" is equivalent to absorbing vol-coins and "taking losses" is equivalent to issuing vol-coins. The system's profit and loss scenarios are as follows:
Profit : transaction fees from exchanging stable-coins for vol-coins
: transaction fees from exchanging stable-coins for vol-coins Profit : the extra 10% in margin call situations
: the extra 10% in margin call situations Loss : situations where the vol-coin price falls while the total stable-coin supply is positive, or rises while the total stable-coin supply is negative (the first case is more likely to happen, due to margin-call situations)
: situations where the vol-coin price falls while the total stable-coin supply is positive, or rises while the total stable-coin supply is negative (the first case is more likely to happen, due to margin-call situations) Profit: situations where the vol-coin price rises while the total stable-coin supply is positive, or falls while it's negative
Note that the second profit is in some ways a phantom profit; when users hold vol-coins, they will need to take into account the risk that they will be on the receiving end of this extra 10% seizure, which cancels out the benefit to the system from the profit existing. However, one might argue that because of the Dunning-Kruger effect users might underestimate their susceptibility to eating the loss, and thus the compensation will be less than 100%.
Now, consider a strategy where a user tries to hold on to a constant percentage of all vol-coins. When x% of vol-coins are absorbed, the user sells off x% of their vol-coins and takes a profit, and when new vol-coins equal to x% of the existing supply are released, the user increases their holdings by the same portion, taking a loss. Thus, the user's net profit is proportional to the total profit of the system.
Seignorage Shares
A fourth model is "seignorage shares", courtesy of Robert Sams. Seignorage shares is a rather elegant scheme that, in my own simplified take on the scheme, works as follows:
There exist two currencies, "vol-coins" and "stable-coins" (Sams uses "shares" and "coins", respectively) Anyone can purchase vol-coins for stable-coins or vol-coins for stable-coins from the system at a rate of $1 worth of vol-coin per stable-coin, perhaps with a 0.1% exchange fee
Note that in Sams' version, an auction was used to sell off newly-created stable-coins if the price goes too high, and buy if it goes too low; this mechanism basically has the same effect, except using an always-available fixed price in place of an auction. However, the simplicity comes at the cost of some degree of fragility. To see why, let us make a similar valuation analysis for vol-coins. The profit and loss scenarios are simple:
Profit : absorbing vol-coins to issue new stable-coins
: absorbing vol-coins to issue new stable-coins Loss: issuing vol-coins to absorb stable-coins
The same valuation strategy applies as in the other case, so we can see that the value of the vol-coins is proportional to the expected total future increase in the supply of stable-coins, adjusted by some discounting factor. Thus, here lies the problem: if the system is understood by all parties to be "winding down" (eg. users are abandoning it for a superior competitor), and thus the total stable-coin supply is expected to go down and never come back up, then the value of the vol-coins drops below zero, so vol-coins hyperinflate, and then stable-coins hyperinflate. In exchange for this fragility risk, however, vol-coins can achieve a much higher valuation, so the scheme is much more attractive to cryptoplatform developers looking to earn revenue via a token sale.
Note that both the SchellingDollar and seignorage shares, if they are on an independent network, also need to take into account transaction fees and consensus costs. Fortunately, with proof of stake, it should be possible to make consensus cheaper than transaction fees, in which case the difference can be added to profits. This potentially allows for a larger market cap for the SchellingDollar's vol-coin, and allows the market cap of seignorage shares' vol-coins to remain above zero even in the event of a substantial, albeit not total, permanent decrease in stable-coin volume. Ultimately, however, some degree of fragility is inevitable: at the very least, if interest in a system drops to near-zero, then the system can be double-spent and estimators and Schellingcoins exploited to death. Even sidechains, as a scheme for preserving one currency across multiple networks, are susceptible to this problem. The question is simply (1) how do we minimize the risks, and (2) given that risks exist, how do we present the system to users so that they do not become overly dependent on something that could break?
Conclusions
Are stable-value assets necessary? Given the high level of interest in "blockchain technology" coupled with disinterest in "Bitcoin the currency" that we see among so many in the mainstream world, perhaps the time is ripe for stable-currency or multi-currency systems to take over. There would then be multiple separate classes of cryptoassets: stable assets for trading, speculative assets for investment, and Bitcoin itself may well serve as a unique Schelling point for a universal fallback asset, similar to the current and historical functioning of gold.
If that were to happen, and particularly if the stronger version of price stability based on Schellingcoin strategies could take off, the cryptocurrency landscape may end up in an interesting situation: there may be thousands of cryptocurrencies, of which many would be volatile, but many others would be stable-coins, all adjusting prices nearly in lockstep with each other; hence, the situation could even end up being expressed in interfaces as a single super-currency, but where different blockchains randomly give positive or negative interest rates, much like Ferdinando Ametrano's "Hayek Money". The true cryptoeconomy of the future may have not even begun to take shape. |
Greetings, judges! Our rock star this week is here to share some great stories and important lessons! Say hello to Italy’s very own Matteo Callegari!
Name: Matteo Callegari
Level: 3
Location: Parma, Italy
Judge start date: 2006
Occupation: Decide, defuse and motivate in a pharmaceutical company
Favorite card: Survival of the Fittest
Least favorite card: Vengevine (see above)
Favorite format: 2HG Sealed deck
Commander General: no Commander for me 😮
Favorite non-Magic Game: 7 Wonders
Best tournament result: I won a few Pre-Releases, most of them in 2HG format of course 🙂
Random fact about yourself: I graduated from high school twice, each time in a different continent
Why do you judge?
I play Magic as a way to make new friends and spend time with old ones. Once I got into judging, I found a way to do the same without mana screw! What still motivates to wear the Magic Judge shirt is the challenges that keep arriving that always push me to improve.
Tell us your favorite Judge story.
Plenty of them and you can always poke me for one after an event. 😀
The best story for 2016 happened in GP Rimini this summer. I was very excited as it was my first time as HJ of an Italian GP so I was very careful not to mess with anything and to behave properly and professionally. And yet, the first call I got involved with 5 minutes after the start of round 1 was memorable. Once the FJ brings me to the table (“I’m not spoiling anything for you, you need to hear it for yourself”), I see an Ancient Tomb and plenty of artifacts on the table and the player instantly turns around and tells me: “But juuuuuudge, I swear I read GP Rimini Legacy on the website!!!!” (hint: it was a Standard GP organized by Legacy Distributions). I stifle a smile (you know I have to behave properly and professionally) and I start talking to the player who tells me that he came with his friend from a very far away town specifically to play some Legacy. Wait, a friend? We quickly search for him while I’m wondering why there was no judge call there. We arrive at the table with a single player who looked at the other player, started to smile and said “Yes, my opponent never showed!”. Well, since already 12 minutes passed, this guy won a match at a Standard GP playing a Legacy deck! Great job! And yes, I couldn’t stifle a laugh at this point as well and I shook his hand! 🙂
What are some tips you have for other Judges?
Be humble: there will always be someone who does that thing better than you and who will be willing to share his or her secrets with you. Just ask them!
Be proud: recognize what you are doing great and help other judges reach your skill level.
Be serious: you will have to maintain the event’s integrity and command the respect of players.
Be happy: wear your best smile out by smiling to all players and judges you interact with at your events. A single smile can do more wonders than a thousand words!
What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge, and how have you worked to overcome them?
For a very long time, I was terrified of making mistakes, as I’m a perfectionist inside and I always super-prepare for all my activities (big surprise! 😛 ). I remember when I was an L1, there were some situations at the table that I was not able to solve, so I brought them up to my L3 HJs. I was in awe because they always knew how to tackle even the most difficult problem in a very nice and easy way. So I leveled up to L2, I kept studying the policy documents up to a point that I remembered all of them and I was still not able to have an answer to all the situations. I was still afraid of making mistakes when there was no document telling me what to do and I probably appeared insecure several times. Then the magic happened when I started preparing for L3. My mentors explained me that there are no secret documents with all the answers you need to have, but there is the philosophy that will guide you in making them up when the documents will fail. Wow, a new world opened in front of my eyes! Nowadays, instead, I have to keep reminding myself that we also have the documents and that sometimes I should be applying them instead of following the philosophy and providing some creative solutions to well-known problems. You never stop learning, I guess. 🙂
Who have been some of your biggest mentors in the Judge Program, and what did they teach you?
I’m an ancient one, so most of the names would have no meaning to you. 🙂 Yet, I want to share how much 2 judges taught me and influenced me during these 10 years. I would have been a very different judge or maybe I would not have been a judge for so long without them. Mirko Console convinced me that I could be not only L3 (yes, I was a very happy L2 with no desire to advance to L3) but a great one and showed me with his example how to be the best judge I could. And Riccardo Tessitori convinced me that I could also wear the burgundy at events. He threw me into the water by leaving me with a mic on a stage with thousands of players watching me and no time for preparing anything to say for an entire players meeting. After I stopped thinking about the best way to kill Riccardo, I realized how much that players meeting meant to my growth. Sometimes you may study and prepare for months, and you cannot realize if you are ready or not for it. Just do it! 🙂
What is your favorite non-Magic hobby?
Travelling: see new places, meet new people and learn new cultures. Even if now it kind of blurs with judging as I’m trying to judge in new places every time I get the chance, and it requires now some intercontinental travelling as I visited most of the usual locations for European GPs 🙂
My current goal for travelling is to visit all the 7 Modern Wonders, and right now I got the Coliseum (easy), the Great Wall, Machu Picchu and Petra under the belt. Next year I plan to hit the Cristo Redentor and maybe Chichen Itza as well. Wish me good luck and see you at a Brazilian or a Mexican GP!
If you could chat with one person, real or fictional, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
George R.R. Martin, and it won’t be a very pleasant chat unless he publishes the last 2 books before then!
What was the proudest moment of your Judge life?
When Gianluca Bonacchi tested for L3 and passed his panel. He and I grew pretty much together in the judge program and I saw him improving month after month both as a person and as a judge. He went through some tough judge moments (for example, both he and I failed the L2 test!), yet he bounced back always with great energy and passion. I was very sad that I could not attend the GP where he tested, yet we made up afterwards with some hard partying through the years. 😀 And still now, my happiest moments are whenever I see the judges I had a hand in their growth and helping them achieve their goals, be it getting selected for their first GP or passing the L2 exam or completing their L3 checklist. The joy they bring me is limitless 🙂
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Always remember that the judge program may be a safe haven where you can pour all the good you keep inside. It will have a deep impact on the people that are around you and they will in turn give you a great bump whenever you feel low. So understand that there may be some ups and downs even in this program, yet you will always have someone that will be willing to share your sadness and to provide you with plenty of reasons to cheer up!
Two Truths and a Lie
Two of the following statements are true and one is false. Figure out which!
I collect Tolkien’s books from the countries I’ve been judging and I currently own editions from 3 different continents. I know how to pronounce “beer” in 28 different languages. The city I have visited most times in the world is Dublin, yet I have never played or judged at an event there.
The answer to the last Two Truths and a Lie...
Brian got Richard Garfield to 1 life before the creator of Magic obliterated him. Brian holds a 0-1 record against Garfield.
If there is a judge who is also doing something exemplary, please nominate a judge TODAY! |
Personal assistant gadgets like Amazon Echo and Google Home are equipped with speakers and microphones—ostensibly so you can ask questions and they can give you answers. Guenael Strutt sees that built-in hardware as an untapped resource for doing something else entirely: making sure you’re okay.
Strutt is the head of product development for Elliptic Labs, which uses ultrasound technology, rather than the typical infrared sensors like you see in your smartphone, for presence detection. It uses a device’s own speaker to emit a high-frequency audio wave that bounces off your body and is picked up by its microphone, then cleaned up and analyzed by Elliptic Labs’s software.
Beyond phones there are a growing number of other gadgets out there with computing power, speakers, and microphones—Amazon alone said that it sold “millions” of its Echo devices this holiday season. Elliptic Labs thinks the rise of this kind of device is an opportunity for the company to branch out, and announced Tuesday that it’s rolling out a version of its technology that is meant to work with these kinds of devices.
“Essentially, ultrasound can be added to any device that needs to know you are there,” Strutt says.
Strutt says Elliptic Labs’s software could be added to an assistant device in, say, an elderly person’s home and notify someone if it doesn’t sense motion for an extended period of time. You could also use it for detecting motion, doing things like asking the home assistant to remind you to pull food out of the oven the next time you enter the room, he says.
At the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, Spain, this week, Elliptic Labs will show off several demonstrations of how this works by running its software on a Raspberry Pi computer with a microphone and transducer.
The company isn’t planning to build its own home assistant, but it is working with one company that Strutt won’t name to add it to a voice-assistant product similar to Amazon Echo and Google Home.
Gierad Laput, a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University who studies sensing technologies that can be used without requiring special hardware, including ultrasound, sees Elliptic Labs’s application as a clever way to utilize something that’s already available. For it to really be useful, though, he thinks the user will need to see some kind of feedback—like a light coming on—that indicates the assistant device knows you’re there. |
Paul J. Richards / AFP / Getty U.S. President George W. Bush walks through an honor cordon
Determined to shape his legacy in Iraq, President Bush has cut Congress out of his negotiations with the al-Maliki government. Despite repeated requests, the Administration has refused to share with congressional committees the text of its negotiating draft, even on a confidential basis. But elements of the proposals under negotiation have steadily leaked out from the Iraqi side, and now an Arabic-language newspaper, Asharq Al-Awsat, has published what it says is the full draft agreement.
The draft agreement published by Asharq Al-Awsat would clearly contravene the U.S. Constitution. It would not be a treaty, requiring the consent of two-thirds of the Senate, or a congressional-executive agreement, requiring the approval of both houses of Congress. Instead, the President would assert his power as Commander in Chief to commit the nation to his deal with Iraq without seeking the consent of the legislative branch. The provisions of the published text, however, decisively refute his claim to unilateral authority.
The breadth of the President's powers as Commander in Chief is one of the most controversial issues in constitutional law. Nevertheless, there is one point on which everybody agrees: The President can't unilaterally surrender his command over the military to somebody else and tell the troops to treat this outsider as Commander in Chief. The authority he has as Commander in Chief is not his to transfer.
The published draft agreement violates this bedrock principle by creating a joint U.S.-Iraq committee and giving it, not the President, the authority to coordinate military operations, resolve operational disputes and even "determine the tasks and level of the troops that will focus on training and supporting Iraqi security forces." The agreement creates only one exception: American troops can act unilaterally in self-defense without obtaining the committee's permission.
The constitutional violation is plain: the agreement would cede the President's authority over U.S. forces in the field to a committee, on which the Iraqis would have veto power.
All this may or may not make sense, but it is up to Congress to decide. There have been occasions when foreigners have been given some control over American troops in connection with NATO and U.N. peacekeeping operations. But these delegations of command authority occurred under treaties ratified by two-thirds of the Senate, not by presidential fiat. Worse still, the agreement would govern military relationships well into the next Administration. President Bush is proposing to give away not only his own powers as Commander in Chief but also those of his successor.
The published draft agreement also usurps congressional power over the Treasury. It obligates the United States to pay for the construction and modification of military installations that will revert to Iraqi ownership when U.S. troops leave. This is an open-ended commitment that goes beyond the funds already appropriated by Congress. By taking this step, the President seeks to remove the most fundamental check on the abuse of executive power the power of the purse.
The reason the questions of authority over future U.S. military operations in Iraq have not received the attention they deserve is simple: the Administration has cut Congress and the American people out of the loop. The media discussion of the negotiations between the Iraqi and U.S. governments, fueled only by leaks, has focused on more sensational topics such as a timetable for withdrawal of American troops and the al-Maliki government's efforts to prosecute American contractors for crimes committed on Iraqi soil. These are important matters, which should also be submitted for congressional approval, but the precedents set by the President's unilateral use of power will have greater long-term consequences.
It is past time for the President to provide Congress with a copy of the draft agreement and ask for its consent. Senators and Representatives should not be forced to rely on translations from foreign newspapers to learn what their government is up to; there should be no secret deals on the most important issues facing America.
As chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Joe Biden has co-sponsored legislation demanding that the Administration submit the Iraq agreement for congressional approval. Now that he is the Democratic nominee for Vice President, he should take the initiative and reach out to Senator John McCain, who understands perfectly the questions of principle at stake. Both Democratic and Republican candidates should join together to make it clear that, whoever wins the election, the next President will put the Constitution first in his dealings with Congress.
Ackerman and Hathaway are professors of law at Yale and the University of California, Berkeley, respectively. |
All you want is a comfortable night’s sleep without congestion, irritation or pain, right? And you want to be warm and comfy all night long without getting hot and sweaty. An innovative aloe vera comforter could be the solution you need for a great night’s sleep that will allow you to wake up feeling better than you thought possible.
Think that infusing a comforter with aloe vera can’t possibly make any difference since it won’t even be touching your skin most of the time anyway? I was skeptical, but I’m sleeping well and I really like this comforter, so what more do you need to know?
I’ll offer up a few more details and you can decide for yourself what you think about getting an aloe vera comforter of your own.
My Aloe Vera Comforter Review
I like the affordable and completely comfortable Nature Relax – Premium Aloe Vera White Down Comforter that I got from Amazon. This cover is made from 100 percent Egyptian cotton that’s infused with cooling, soothing aloe vera extract. What you end up with is a great comforter that’s good for keeping you warm and good for keeping your allergies at bay.
The 10-inch baffle box construction is responsible for keeping the down inside from shifting around, and that’s important. Some comforters get cold spots when holes come in the filler inside, causing some of your body not to be completely covered at it should be.
So what about the aloe vera? Does it make any difference?
Some people are so sold on aloe in bedding that there are aloe vera mattresses on the market — and other kinds of aloe vera bedding too. Aloe has been used for centuries for cuts, burns, stomach upset and more because it’s proven to speed up healing. And it also reduces irritation. Some traditions suggest it has a calming and soothing effect as well.
Nature Relax talks about how the company infuses aloe into the Egyptian cotton with nanotechnology to make bedding products like this comforter. I don’t understand that and don’t suppose I need to know what that means. All I know is that I like the way the comforter looks and feels. It does seem to feel silkier than regular comforters.
And if it matters to you, this product is made in America. It’s clearly well-made and has stood up to several months of use on my bed already without showing any signs of wear. That’s what matters most.
Some Final Thoughts On Aloe Vera Comforters
Here’s the bottom line: I’m obviously sold on the effectiveness of aloe vera. I can’t tell you for sure that its presence in bedding makes a significant difference, but I can tell you that this comforter looks and feels great. It’s warm without being hot and it’s soft without feeling like it’s been soaked down with juice or gel.
Nothing is more important to me than a good night’s sleep, and I now sleep on an aloe vera mattress with an aloe vera comforter. You may think I’m overdoing it, but I’m more comfortable than ever. (The sheets are just regular sheets, by the way.)
So why not give this comforter a try? The price is reasonable for what you get, and I like everything about it.
Click here for the best price on this aloe vera comforter at Amazon, a site that stocks lots of products for your home and life. |
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DENVER -- A group of Colorado police chiefs are asking the state for more money to help keep marijuana-related crime under control, according to a letter sent to the governor this week.
In the letter, the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police told Gov. John Hickenlooper they were disappointed to learn that local law enforcement would receive little direct funding under a newly released plan for how to spend pot tax revenue.
View CACP letter to Gov. Hickenlooper
"Many of our local law enforcement agencies have diverted staff from other operations into marijuana enforcement, leaving gaps in other service areas as a direct result of marijuana legalization," the letter says.
The letter asks Hickenlooper to create a grant program to help defray department costs related to marijuana legalization.
Medical and recreational marijuana revenues are expected to be in the neighborhood of $133 million in the next fiscal year. Hickenlooper's latest budget proposes spending the bulk of the money on youth marijuana use prevention and addiction treatment, reserving just $3 million for enforcement agencies.
The CACP letter says more money could be used to train officers to better identify stoned drivers, set up more DUI checkpoints and launch a statewide marijuana crimes database. |
This week we are reminded of that old political axiom– “I can handle my enemies, but please, God, protect me from my friends.”
A handful of Republicans in Congress joined the concerted attack by Democrat leaders in criticizing Attorney General Jeff Sessions for not answering a question that was never asked in his confirmation hearing.
As part of his confirmation hearing in a Senate committee, Sessions was asked by Sen. Al Franken about meetings with “foreigners” while serving as a surrogate for candidate Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. Sessions replied that he had no such meetings while assisting the Trump campaign.
The Washington Post summarized the confirmation hearing encounter this way in its March 1 story:
At his Jan. 10 Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, Sessions was asked by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) what he would do if he learned of any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of the 2016 campaign. “I’m not aware of any of those activities,” he responded. He added: “I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.”
Later, after the Senate committee hearing, a member of the committee, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), asked Sessions for answers to written questions. One question was this one: “Several of the President-elect’s nominees or senior advisers have Russian ties. Have you been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after election day?” Leahy wrote. Sessions responded with one word: “No.”
The important thing here is that both answers were truthful: Sessions answered the questions that were asked, not questions that were not asked. Leahy asked about conversations “about the 2016 election.” Sessions replied that, no, he had no such conversations with Russian officials. Senator Sessions’ meeting with the Russian Ambassador in his Senate office had nothing to do with the 2016 campaign and was not unlike meetings held with the Russian Ambassador by many Democrat senators during the year.
Oh, and by the way, President Obama met with the Russian Ambassador in the White House 22 times during his presidency.
But truthful answers by Sen. Sessions are not good enough for Senate and House Democrats– and not good enough for a small handful of House Republicans like Colorado’s Mike Coffman. Those Republican members of Congress should be ashamed, and their constituents back home should be planning their 2018 replacements.
Congressman Coffman distanced himself from candidate Trump in the last days of the 2016 campaign, and his criticism of Trump’s Attorney General this week fits a pattern of self-serving comments critical of Trump, his appointees, and his policies.
Coffman went further than a mild rebuke of Sessions. He told a CBS news reporter in Denver that Sen. Sessions “made a grave omission” in his Senate testimony by not volunteering information about his meeting in his Senate office with the Russian Ambassador.
Coffman then went even further in this statement: “I would encourage him to fully disclose any and all foreign contacts he had during the course of the campaign.”
This latter statement basically calls Attorney General a liar by suggesting he is hiding something.
This attack by innuendo is unforgivable for a Republican congressman because it straight out of the Democrats’ anti-Trump playbook aimed at promoting the Big Lie that the Russians, not the American people, elected Trump.
Such slander-by-innuendo is part of the Soros-funded “Deep State” strategy to undermine the legitimacy of the 2016 election results. It is quite a stretch in both fact and logic to suggest that any conversation with any Russian official, including the Russian Ambassador, during calendar year 2016 must have been part of a conspiracy to control the outcome of the election– a conspiracy for which no evidence whatsoever exists!
And yet, despite the obvious partisan motivations behind this slanderous campaign against the President, we see some Republican members of Congress Like Coffman supporting that Soros game plan through cheap shots to generate self-serving media coverage.
The mainstream media is engaged in a witch hunt that makes the Salem witch trials of the 17th Century look like a Disneyland vacation. And yet, despite the ferocity of the campaign, they have yet to discover even one scintilla of evidence for any Trump campaign collusion with Russian hackers or Russian operatives.
They won’t ever discover any evidence for one simple reason: it never happened. It is a fictional story invented to explain how virtuous Princess Hillary lost the election to a man beloved only by the “deplorables.”
We can expect this kind of frenzied with hunt from leftist mobs and progressive politicians who have suddenly lost control of the levers of power in Washington, D.C. What we should not expect– and should not tolerate– is traitorous collusion with the lynch mob by Republicans — whether they come from Red states, blue states or purple states. |
FILE - In this Tuesday, July 25, 2017, photo, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine is surrounded by reporters as she arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, before a test vote on the Republican health care bill. Collins, who was one of three Republican senators voting against the GOP health bill on Friday, July 28, said she's troubled by Trump's suggestions that the insurance payments are a "bailout." (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says Congress should be paying what the public pays when it comes to “Obamacare.” But members of Congress already pretty much do. Here’s a look at Trump’s claim, and the reality.
TRUMP tweet Monday: “If ObamaCare is hurting people, & it is, why shouldn’t it hurt the insurance companies & why should Congress not be paying what public pays?”
THE FACTS: Although Trump’s tweet may suggest otherwise, members of Congress and their staff get their health insurance through the Obamacare exchanges. They are required to do so by a provision in the health law itself.
It’s something of an anomaly, because other people covered by employer-sponsored health insurance plans were not required by the law to enter the newly created insurance exchanges. But the provision was added under political pressure, to avoid the perception that lawmakers were writing a law for the public that they themselves would be able to avoid.
The 2010 law set up health insurance for members of Congress and their staffs through the District of Columbia health care exchange. Most were kicked out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, which other government workers use.
The federal government pays about 72 percent of lawmakers’ premiums, according to the Congressional Research Service. Although employer contributions vary, 72 percent is in line with what other businesses offer their employees, said John Arensmeyer, head of the Small Business Majority.
Not all members of Congress are on the D.C. exchange. Just like other people, some are covered through their spouses’ insurance, or through various other means.
Sen. John McCain gets his coverage from the Department of Veterans Affairs as a former Navy pilot, although he is being treated for his recent brain cancer diagnosis at the Mayo Clinic. Sen. Claire McCaskill chooses to forgo the employer contribution and buys her insurance, like other Missourians, from the national Obamacare exchange.
Although Trump’s tweet could be read to suggest he plans to do something about what members of Congress pay for their health insurance, it’s not clear what that could be. This much is known: He is upset that Republicans could not pass legislation dismantling Obamacare and is holding out the prospect of punishing lawmakers for their failure.
Meantime his negativity about insurance companies raises a different matter entirely.
Although it’s not completely clear what Trump is talking about by suggesting Obamacare should “hurt the insurance companies,” it could be a reference to an ongoing issue of whether the Trump administration will continue cost-sharing payments to insurers. White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said on “Fox News Sunday” that Trump will make a decision on that this week.
The subsidies, totaling about $7 billion a year, help reduce deductibles and copayments for consumers with modest incomes. President Barack Obama’s administration used its rule-making authority to set direct payments to insurers to help offset these costs. Trump inherited the payment structure, but he also has the power to end it.
The payments are the subject of a lawsuit brought by House Republicans over whether the health law specifically included a congressional appropriation for the money, as required under the Constitution. Trump only guaranteed the payments through July.
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Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd |
A host of union groups and community activists are planning to one-up the anti-Wall Street sentiment commonly associated with the Tea Party movement by actually organizing a massive protest on the streets of downtown Manhattan.
The AFL-CIO is set to orchestrate a 10,000-person "march on Wall Street" on April 29, designed to push for several broad and specific actions on the financial regulatory reform front.
The union conglomerate's president, Richard Trumka, in an interview with Politico, described the event as a focal point for populist angst with the financial industry's practices.
"People will be talking, yelling, chanting, and letting America -- and letting Wall Street, particularly -- know that their brand of economics, where the financial economy overshadows the real economy, is no longer acceptable, that we want them to help pay for the jobs that they destroyed," he said.
Other officials with the union group told the Huffington Post that specific demands will be made at the event -- directed both at the surrounding Wall Street crowd and lawmakers in D.C. As part of their broader push for comprehensive financial regulation, the AFL-CIO will be calling for Congress to pass a strong and independent consumer financial protection agency. Additionally, they will call for a financial transaction tax as a way to raise money and limit speculative, excessive trading. Finally, they'll demand a tax on Wall Street bonuses, similar to legislative proposals put forth by Democrats in Congress.
The goal, in the end, is to tap into the unease that many still feel with Wall Street's practices and to display the public support that exists for Congress to move forward on regulatory reform. |
A “hot shot” firefighting crew descends a scorched mountainside at the Cabin Fire in the Angeles National Forest on Saturday, north of Azusa, Calif. (David McNew/Getty Images)
This story has been updated.
Wildfires are exploding across the western United States, overstretching resources and, in some states, resulting in tragic consequences.
Some 30,000 firefighters and additional support staff are now fighting fires across the United States — the biggest number mobilized in 15 years, according to the U.S. Forest Service. And it’s still not enough.
Two hundred members of the military are being called up to help further — they will be trained and deployed within just a few days — as are Canadian firefighting forces. There’s even some talk of potentially needing to draw on resources from Australia and New Zealand, which has been done before in a pinch.
And no wonder: Five states are now battling more than 1o large wildfires — California is contending with 16, Idaho 21, Montana 14, Oregon 11 and Washington 17. Most terrifying, perhaps, is the Soda Fire, which has scorched 283,686 acres in Idaho, burning up ranches, killing wild horses, even generating an alarming fire whirl recently.
Fire whirls, or "firenadoes," form when heat from the wildfire causes air to rise rapidly and can develop into a full, fiery tornado-like whirl. (Craig Fluer/Instagram)
The total acres burned so far in 2015 is now a staggering 7.1 million, with currently burning fires accounting for over 1 million of that total. “This is the earliest the number of national acres burned has been more than 7 million in the past 20 years,” notes the National Interagency Coordination Center — although the center acknowledges that 5 million of those acres burned in Alaska earlier this year.
1 of 44 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Inside the battle against the raging California wildfires View Photos Firefighters work to contain the Jerusalem and Rocky fires. Caption Firefighters work to contain the Jerusalem and Rocky fires. Aug. 12, 2015 Flames from the Jerusalem Fire consume address signs of homes along Morgan Valley Road in Lake County, Calif. Robert Galbraith/Reuters Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.
There is no year, in the past 10, in which year-to-date wildfire acres burned were as high as they are now. In fact, based on records provided by the National Interagency Fire Center, only nine years since 1960 have seen more acres burned in total than 2015 has as of August 18. The most acres burned in any year on record is 9,873,745, in 2006.
It isn’t immediately clear why the center suggests that the 7.1 million acres burned so far is merely unprecedented “in the past 20 years” — its records show that if you go back further than 20 years, only one year, 1963, even has 7.1 million acres burned in total.
The United States is at wildfire preparedness Level 5 — the highest — and has been since Aug. 13.
What has been particularly alarming in the past day or so is developments in Montana and Idaho, battling 35 large fires between them, including the gargantuan Soda Fire. In these states and in the Pacific Northwest, fires are being started by thunderstorms that are delivering lightning strikes without much rain.
A weekend video showing deputy incident commander Rob Allen discussing fires in the Chelan area of Washington State gives a sense of what firefighting planners are currently facing. As Allen put it:
Competition for resources right now is extremely tight. As of yesterday there was outstanding orders for crews of 160 crews. They’re still looking for, there are no more shower units, there are no more catering units. A lot of the stuff we rely on to come in and give us a hand is being used….The truth of the matter right now is that between Oregon, Washington, Northern California, Idaho got very busy, Nevada’s busy, Colorado’s busy, there’s just a real strain in all the resources we have right now.
And that was several days ago — the situation appeared to have heightened even further Tuesday.
Timber burns in the First Creek fire near lakeside structures on the western shore of Lake Chelan late Monday, Aug. 17, 2015, near Chelan, Wash. Big wildfires threatened the Lake Chelan resort region of central Washington on Monday after driving away tourists, destroying a warehouse filled with nearly 2 million pounds of apples and forcing thousands of residents to flee. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
The gigantic convulsion of fire activity makes a report released two weeks ago, by the U.S. Forest Service, seem prescient. The agency sounded the alarm about rising wildfire costs, saying that fighting fires will consume more than 50 percent of its budget this year and could be up to two thirds of it by the year 2025, based on current trends.
According to the Forest Service, the U.S. spends $ 100 million per week when it is at wildfire preparedness level 5, as it is now.
“Fire seasons are growing longer, hotter, more unpredictable and more expensive every year, and there is no end in sight. Within just 10 years, two out of every three dollars the Forest Service gets from Congress will be spent on fire programs, which leaves much fewer resources for the very restoration projects that have been proven to reduce the risk of wildfire and improve forest health,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement provided to The Post (his department includes the Forest Service).
“We are at a tipping point. Congress must change the way it pays for wildfires by providing a fiscally responsible way to treat catastrophic wildfires more like the natural disasters that they are, end fire transfers, partially replenish our capacity to restore resilient forests, and protect lives and property against future fires.” |
Venice, Louisiana (CNN) -- Frustrated Louisiana officials Sunday demanded the federal government approve their plans to dredge up walls of sand to protect delicate inland estuaries from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
"Either the Coast Guard has to side with its American citizens and protect its communities, or it has to side with a major world corporation named BP and betray American citizens in that process," St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro told reporters.
With oil sloshing ashore along the state's barrier islands and seeping into marshes around the mouth of the Mississippi River, state and parish leaders want to use dredges to close channels between the Gulf and the coastal estuaries.
They said those plans have been held up by the Army Corps of Engineers and the agencies in charge of the spill response, including the Coast Guard and BP, the company responsible for the spill.
Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry, the federal on-scene coordinator for the response effort, told reporters the barrier island project was still under review. Environmental and wildlife officials "are weighing in on the impact to endangered and threatened species and other impacts this large-scale project could have," she said.
But Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser pointed to pictures of an oil-covered pelican nesting ground and asked reporters, "Is it affected now?"
Thousands of barrels of oil a day have been spewing into the Gulf since late April, when the BP-contracted drilling rig Deepwater Horizon blew up and sank about 45 miles off Louisiana. Beyond the state's barrier islands lie a filigree of marshlands, bayous and islands that are rich in wildlife and fisheries that represent the source of about a third of the U.S. seafood industry.
Tim Kerner, mayor of the town of Jean Lafitte, said the dredging plan is "the only plan that'll possibly work" to save those estuaries.
"It's the plan that will save the wildlife, save the marine life and also the way of life for the town of Jean Lafitte and all the coastal communities," Kerner said.
Nungesser, Taffaro and other representatives of the state's coastal parishes toured the threatened region with Gov. Bobby Jindal on Sunday.
Jindal said his state needs "a greater sense of urgency" from those in charge of the cleanup, or for them to delegate authority to regional officials. He said the state is already doing preparatory work for dredging and could begin operations immediately on receiving approval.
"Ten days later, you'll see land being built. You'll literally see sand being built along these critical passes," he said.
Mayors and parish presidents were critical of both the government and BP's handling of the cleanup, recounting stories of misdirected protective booms or skimmers that sat on trucks ashore. And a visibly angry Taffaro said the delays threatened his parish's ecosystem and the livelihoods of his people.
"I don't have a crystal ball," he said. "But if I were a betting man, I would be betting that the plan is to let us die, then come back and do $75 million worth of cleanup and close the book."
He said some officials had even suggested setting oil-soaked marshes ablaze, a step he called "not an option for us."
"That kills our hurricane protection. It wipes out our species, our ecosystem and everything we've been fighting to protect," he said. |
Trinity Brewhouse has been a staple in downtown Providence for well over a decade now, and for most of that time, Sean Larkin has been using their facilities to produce amazing beer for Trinity, Narragansett, and now his own personal pet project, Revival Brewing.
Seeing as how Rhode Island is experiencing a sudden upswing in craft beer production, I thought it best to talk to the Rock Star himself. A mile walk and a $25 dollar parking ticket later (Where the HELL are they when someone tries to T-bone my Nissan with an F250?) I sat down with the legend himself.
Surprisingly humble and fashionable in his 1930s Newsie’s cap, Sean is a local brewing icon. Deep within the bowels of the Trinity-Revival operation, he crafts award-winning brew after award-winning brew… and some that don’t win awards as well. What? They can’t all be winners? Doesn’t mean they’re not awesome.
Starting as an assistant brewer, Sean stepped up when his mentor stepped down, filling the shoes of the original brewmaster and then some. “The system was already set up and mastered,” said Larkin, “When I started here… the brewer at the time, who trained me, had the system all figured out, and even worked it up into spreadsheets. So, we could plug our recipe into the spreadsheet and see what we could expect to get.”
Though Revival has yet to begin work on a brick-and-mortar brewery, the in-house system at the famed Trinity Brewhouse in downtown Providence churns out Larkin’s pet project. It’s not only an operation that Sean’s familiar with, but it gives him the freedom to play with recipes, ingredients and ideas. Some brewers test out recipes as homebrews before a release, or like Lagunitas, sell their odd batches anyway and hope they are successful, but the setup at Trinity affords a little more freedom. “When we want to test out a recipe, we’ll just go ahead and brew it, then sell it here in the pub. We’ll get feedback from our customers and then, based on that, we’ll often tweak it or make whatever changes we feel we want to make.”
More than just using his loyal regulars as guinea pigs, Larkin has a lot of room to work in the ironically small brewhouse. The actual beer gets cooked upstairs behind the bar, in what must be a very warm room in the summer time. The worth then gets channeled downstairs. Behind the basement bar, fermenters line the walls of a room smaller than my kitchen in a little fermentation dungeon, lined with cylindrical vessels full of the magic elixer. Old wooden casks sit with beer aging within, labeled with handwritten paper taped on the cask. A couple of them have spigots on the bottom, and this is where the result of the Trinity/Revival alchemy is born. On the walkabout, we passed a tray of unbaked brownies, apparently made with some of their coffee stout, looking fudgy and delicious while the beer man himself talked about the process.
“I really only have to worry about a budget. Even then, I don’t really have to report to anyone. As long as I keep the percentages up, I can basically do whatever I want.” It seems like the life any brewer could want. Not only is he a well recognized, accomplished brewer, Sean has the kind of relaxed atmosphere with which to experiment and create even better concoctions. Still, I haven’t met the man yet who has brewed beer and not wanted to open his own brewery. Sean Larkin is no exception. “I was already kind of established with what I’ve been doing here and at Narragansett,” he said. “I really wanted something that was my own,” Larkin teamed up with a company called Betaspring, a mentorship organization whose specialty is helping startup companies, providing consultation, logistics and advice; essentially, helping take care of the paperwork so the beer man can work his magic.
Though Trinity has been selling its IPA in six-packs for years now, the sudden upswing in Rhode Island microbreweries and nanobreweries creates a competitive market. Simply competing for bar taps, shelf space in liquor stores and cooler space in better liquor stores is an uphill battle, but the amiable Larkin doesn’t see the likes of Foolproof and Ravenous as opposition. “I love that they’re doing what they’re doing,” he said. “I love anyone opening a nano(brewery). One thing about Rhode Island is that the people here… they like the brand that they like. They stick with that brand. I have people come up to me at beer fests and be like ‘You guys are awesome, better than Union. Union Station sucks!’ Well, first of all, Union station doesn’t suck. I know the brewer there; we’re friends. I don’t believe anyone’s beer sucks.”
If you haven’t yet tried Revival, or Trinity Brewhouse for that matter, you’re missing out on a staple of the Rhode Island craft beer scene. Revival’s Black IPA is currently available in four-packs in the more hip liquor stores in this state, and a few places even carry the magnificent brew on draft. You can check out their website for certain locations, and hound your local packy to bring it in.
revivalbrewing.com |
Northren Ireland (Ulster Scots: Norn Iron) is ane o fower kintras o the Unitit Kinrick. It is in the north o the iland o Ireland, whaur it haes a laund mairch wi the Republic o Ireland, the ae pairt o the Unitit Kinrick wi an internaitional laund mairch. It wis foondit bi the Govrenment o Ireland Act, 1920.
It kivers 5,459 mi², aboot a saxt o the hail aurie o the iland, an haes 1,685,000 indwallers (Aprile 2001) — atwein a fowert an a thrid o the iland's hail population.
Main airtikil: Historie o Northren Ireland; for events afore 1900 see Historie o Ireland.
The aurie that's nou kent as Norn Iron haes haed a diverse historie. Frae servin as the bedrock o Irish resistance in the tym o the plantations o Queen Elizabeth an James VI & I in ither pairts o Ireland, it becam the subjek o major plantin o Scots an Inglish settilers itsel eftir the Flicht o the Earls in 1607 (whan the native Gaelic aristocracie flittit en masse for Catholic Europe).
The aw-iland Kinrick o Ireland (1541-1801) wis incorporate intil the Unitit Kinrick o Great Breetain an Ireland in 1801 unner the terms o the Act o Union, the kinriks o Ireland an Great Breetain gang thegither unner ane pairlament, govrenment an monarchie based in Lunnon. In the aerlie 20t centurie Unionists, led bi Sir Edward Carson, gainstaundit the introduction o Hame Rule in Ireland. Unionists wis in a minoritie on the iland o Ireland as a hail, but wis a majoritie in the Northren stewartrie o Ulster. A byspel o the Unionists' sheer determination no til hae Hame Rule foist'd on thaim wis the Lairne Gun Runnin in 1912, whan thay smuggilt thoosands o ryfils an roonds o ammuneition frae Imperial Germany. Tharfore, eftir the First Warld War, Ireland wis parteitiont in 1921 unner the terms o the Govrenment o Ireland Act 1920 atwein sax o the nyn Ulster coonties in the nor'eist (furmin Northren Ireland) an the ither twintie-sax coonties o the sooth an wast (furmin the Irish Free State in 1922). Whan the latter got domeinion status, the sax Norn Iron coonties — unner the procedurs setten oot in the Anglo-Irish Treatie, 1921 — optit oot, an sae byds as pairt o the Unitit Kinrick.
The Ireland Act 1949 gied the first lawfu guarantee til the Pairlament an Govrenment that Norn Iron wadna stap bein pairt o the Unitit Kinrick athoot consent o the fek o its ceitizens, an this wis maist recent reaffirm'd bi the Northren Ireland Act 1998. This status wis echoed in the Anglo-Irish Greement in 1985, that wis signed bi the govrenments o the Unitit Kinrick an the Republic o Ireland. Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution o the Republic, wis amendit in 1999 for ti remuve a claim til owerins ower the hail o Ireland (in Airtikil 2), a claim qualifee'd bi an acknawledgment o Breetish rule in the nor'eist. The new Airtikils 2 an 3 o the Constitution o Ireland|Airtikils 2 an 3, eikit til the Bunreacht for ti replace the aerlier airtikils, acknawledge impleecit that the status o Norn Iron, an its relationships wi the Unitit Kinrick an the Republic o Ireland, wad anerlie be chynged wi the greement o the fek o voters in Norn Iron. An acknawledgement that a deceision on whither ti byd in the Unitit Kinrick or jyn the Republic o Ireland byds wi the fowk o Norn Iron wis central til the Belfast Greement anaw, that wis sign'd in 1998 an raitifee'd bi simultanous plebiscites hauden in baith Norn Iron an the Republic. Houaniver, monie unionist leaders equivocate whan speirt if thay wad accept a reunitit Ireland peacefu if the fek o Norn Iron socht it.
A plebiscite athin Norn Iron anent whither it shod byd in the Unitit Kinrick, or jyn the Republic, wis hauden in 1973. The vote gaed hivilie in faur o uphaudin the ‘’status quo’’, in pairt acause monie naitionalists boycottit it. Tho legal proveision byds for haudin anither plebiscite, an the Ulster Unionist Pairtie leader David Trimble sum yeirs syn advocatit the haudin o sican a vote, nae plans for sican a vote haes been adoptit as o 2005.
Demografics an politics [ eedit | eedit soorce ]
The fek o the-day’s population (59%, gaun bi a 2004 survey) is unionist an wisses ti byd pairt o the Unitit Kinrick, but a signeeficant minoritie (22%), kent as Erse naitionalists, is eftir a unitit Ireland. The makup o the Norn Iron Assemblie refleks thir diveisions amang the indwallers. O the 108 members, 59 is unionist an 42 is naitionalist (the ither seivin is kent as "ither"). The mukkilest releigious denomination o Norn Iron is the Roman Catholic kirk, follaed bi the Presbyterian kirk in Ireland an the Kirk o Ireland, wi the Methodist Kirk o Ireland cumin fowert. Thir twa views is inhauden ti deeper cultural diveisions. Unionists is maistlins Protestant an aften the affspring o Scots an Inglis (maist bein Scots) sattilment in the aforegaun centuries, whyl naitionalists is maistlins Catholic an forordnar descends frae the indeiginous fowk. Diskreimination agin naitionalists unner the Stormont govrenment (1920–1972) gied rise til the naitionalist "Ceivil Richts Muvement" in the 1960s, an at lang an lenth til an ongaun strauchil kent as The Truibils. Poleitical wanrest haes gane throu its maist veiolent phase in recent tyms atwein 1968–1994. The main actors haes been parameilitaries representin minorities frae baith syds o the divide an the Ryal Ulster Constabular an Breetish Airmy representin the Breetish owerins an the Norn Iron state. As an affcum o the warsenin securitie seitiation, sel-govrenment for Norn Iron wis suspendit in 1972. Syn the mid 1990s, the main parameilitar group, the Proveesional IRA haes observ'd an uneithie ceasefire. Follaein negotiations, the Belfast Greement o 1998 provides for an electit Norn Iron Assemblie, an a pouer-sharin Northren Ireland Executive pitten thegither frae representatives o aw the main pairties. Thir institutions haes been suspendit syn 2002 acause o PSNI allegations o spyin bi fowk wirkin for Sinn Féin at the Assemblie, awtho naebodie wis conveictit eftir a hie-profile polis unnertakin.
On 28 Julie, 2005, the Proveesional IRA/Shin Fien/Them'uns caw'd an end til its 'war'.
The Reid Haund o Ulster is ane o the few seimbols bruikit bi baith communities
The-day, Norn Iron haes a sindrie patchwirk o communitie rivalries, representit in sum auries bi hail communities whaur laump posts an sum hames flees the Irish tricolour (a taiken o Irish identitie) or ense the Union Banner (a taiken o Breetish identitie), whyls e'en the kerbstanes in less weil-daein auries gits pentit green-white-oranger or reid-white-blue, lippnin on whither the communitie is naitionalist/republican or unionist/lealist.
As a constituent pairt o the Unitit Kinrick, the ae offeicial Banner o Northren Ireland is the Union Banner. The 'Ulster Banner' (or 'Reid Haund Banner') is nae langer offeicial acause o the aboleition o the Pairliament o Northren Ireland in 1972. Unionists tents ti bruik the Union Banner an whyls the 'Ulster Banner', whyl naitionalists forordnar bruiks the Irish tricolour. Sum unionists whyls bruiks the banner o the secular an releigious groups thay belang. The 'Ulster Banner' is foondit on the Banner o Ulster. Sum groups, includin the Irish Rugbie Fitbaw Union haes bruikit the Banner o Saunt Patrick as a taiken o Ireland that wants the same naitionalist or unionist owertones, but e'en this is felt bi sum ti be a lealist banner, acause it wis design'd bi the Breetish an is bruikit bi sum Breetish Airmie regiments. Nae universalie acceptabil seembol haes been fund yit.
Lykweys, thar's nae langer an offeicial naitional anthem. At maist events needin a Northren Irish naitional anthem, God Save the Queen is play'd. At the Commonweel Gemmes the auld anthem o Norn Iron is play'd, alangsyd the Ulster Banner (abuin), A Londonderry Air, aiblins better kent ootwi Norn Iron as the tuin o Danny Boy, is bruikit.
Geografie an climate [ eedit | eedit soorce ]
Cairt o Northren Ireland
Norn Iron wis shapit bi an ice sheet for maist o the last ice eild an monie tyms afore, the legacie o whit can be seen in the mukkil kiverin o drumlins in Coonties Fermanagh, Armagh, Antrim an in parteicular Doun. The midbit o Norn Iron's geografie is Loch Neagh, at 392 km² the maist mukkil callerwattir loch in the Breetish Isles. Anither mukkil loch netwirk is Nether an Upper Loch Erne in Fermanagh.
Thar's hantil uplands in the Sperrin Muntains (an eik o the Caledonian fauld muntains) wi mukkil gowd poses, granite Mourne Muntains an bawsaut Antrim Plateau, wi smawer reenges in Sooth Coontie Armagh an alang the Fermanagh–Tyrone mairch anaw. Nane o the hills is gey heich, wi Slieve Donard in the Mournes raxin til 848 meter, Norn Iron's heichmaist pynt. The volcanic acteivitie that shapit the Antrim Plateau furmit the eerilie geometric pillars o the Giant's Causey anaw.
The Nether an Upper River Bann, River Foyle an River Blackwattir furms mukkil growthie lawlands, wi barrie arabil laund foond in North an Eist Doun anaw, forby maist o the hill kintra is mairginal an til the maist pairt fittin anerlie for ainimal husbandrie.
The glen o the River Lagan is dominatit bi Belfast, that's metropolitan aurie inhauds ower a thrid o the population o Norn Iron, wi hivie urbanization an industrialization alang the Lagan glen an baith shores o the Belfast Loch.
The hail o Norn Iron haes a temperate maritym climate, mair wat in the wast nor the eist, awtho clood kiver is persistent ower the kintra. The wather is unpredictabil yeir aboot, an awtho the saisons is sindrie, thay ar hantil less pronoonced nor in inland Europe or the eistern siebuird o North Americae. Average daytym heichs in Belfast is 6.5 °C (43.7 °F) in Januar an 17.5 °C (63.5 °F) in Julie. The dunk climate an mukkil deforestation in the 16t an 17t centuries led ti maist o the kintra bein kiver'd in rich green gressland.
The coonties o Northren Ireland
The destriks o Northren Ireland
Coonties o Norn Iron [ eedit | eedit soorce ]
Norn Iron conseists o sax Irish coonties:
Thir coonties is nae langer bruikit for local govrenment; insteid thar's twintie-sax destriks o Northren Ireland that haes unalyk geografical stents, e'en in the case them cried eftir the coonties that thair names cums frae. Fermanagh Destrik Cooncil follaes the mairches o the coontie it taks its name frae maist o aw.
Ceities an touns [ eedit | eedit soorce ]
The follaein ar brandit "touns". Thae wi ceitie status ar bauldit.
Steids o interest [ eedit | eedit soorce ]
The Giant's Causey
Pairt o the Mourne Muntains
Variations in Geografic nomenclatur [ eedit | eedit soorce ]
Monie fowk athin an ootwi Norn Iron bruiks ither names for the entitie, as pairt o a lingueistic agenda for ti define the naitur o the state frae thair historic, cultural or poleitical sicht.
The maist common names bruikit is
Ulster - for ti pit ower that Norn Iron haes an aulder ancestrie that predates its foondin in 1921, datin back baith til the Plantation o Ulster in the late 17t centurie an tae the millennium-auld stewartrie o Ulster, ane o fower stewartries on the iland o Ireland. The stewartrie o Ulster kivers a greter landmass nor Norn Iron: sax o its coonties is in Norn Iron, thrie in the Republic o Ireland.
- for ti pit ower that Norn Iron haes an aulder ancestrie that predates its foondin in 1921, datin back baith til the Plantation o Ulster in the late 17t centurie an tae the millennium-auld stewartrie o Ulster, ane o fower stewartries on the iland o Ireland. The stewartrie o Ulster kivers a greter landmass nor Norn Iron: sax o its coonties is in Norn Iron, thrie in the Republic o Ireland. The Province - for ti anss mair cleek in wi the historic Irish stewartrie (or "province") o Ulster.
North o Ireland - for til eik Norn Iron til the lave o the iland, bi deskreivin the state as bein in the 'north o Ireland' an sae playin doun Norn Iron's links wi Breetain. The northrenmaist pynt in Ireland, in Coonty Donegal, is in fak in the Republic.
The Sax Coonties - langage that evyts bruikin the name gien til the state bi the Breetish-enactit Government o Ireland Act, 1920. The Republic is lykweys caw'd the Twintie-Sax Coonties. Sum o the bruikers o this name kemps that bruikin the offeicial name wad implie acceptance o the legeitimacie o the Government o Ireland Act.
Conter-Belfast Greement Republicans
The Occupee'd Sax Coonties. The Republic, that's exeistence is gainstaundit bi sicna groups anaw, is deskreiv'd as bein "The Free State," referrin til the Irish Free State, the Republic's auld name.
London in Londonderry pentit-oot A roadsyn wi theinpentit-oot
Disagreement on nomenclatur, an the readin o poleitical seembolism intil the uiss or non-uiss o a wird, beirs on sum urban centurs anaw. The maist weil-kent byspel is whither Norn Iron's seicont ceitie shud be cried Derry or Lunnonderry.
Chyce o langage an nomenclatur in Norn Iron aften kyths the cultural, ethnic an releigious identitie o the speaker. The first Depute First Meenister o Norn Iron, Seamus Mallon wis skauldit bi unionists for cryin the state the "North o Ireland" whyl Sinn Féin haes been skauldit in sum newspapers in the Republic for conteinain ti refer til the "Sax Coonties". Naitionalists haes in turn skauldit unionist leaders, for referrin constant til Norn Iron as "Ulster".
Thaim that disna belang onie group but leans til ae syd aften tends ti bruik the langage o that group. Uphauders o unionism in the Breetish media (maist merkit the Daily Telegraph an the Daily Express) cries Norn Iron "Ulster" aften whyl naitionalist an republican-leanin media ootlats in Ireland (sic as ‘’Daily Ireland’’) awmaist aye bruiks "the North o Ireland" or "the Sax Coonties".
State institutions an cultural organisations in Norn Iron, in parteicular thaim that's frae afore the 1980s, aften bruikit the wird "Ulster" in thair teitil; for byspel, the Varsitie o Ulster the Ulster Orchestra, an BBC Radio Ulster.
Monie news bulletins syn the 1990s haes ettilt til evyt aw contentious terms an bruik aither the offeicial name, Northren Ireland, or the cuttie name, "the North". For Norn Iron's seicont mukkilest ceitie, braidcastin ootlats that's no align'd til aither communitie an braidcasts ti baith, bruiks baith names interchangeabil, aften stairtin a report wi "Lunnonderry" an syn bruikin "Derry" in the lave o the report. Houaniver athin Norn Iron, prent media that's leal til aither communitie (the Belfast Newsletter is leal til the Unionist communitie whyl the Irish News is leal til the Naitionalist communitie) forordnar bruiks thair communitie's liefer name. Breetish newspapers wi Unionist leanin, sic as the ‘’Daily Telegraph’’ [1], forordnar bruiks the langage o the Unionist communitie, whyl ithers, sic as The Guardian, bruiks the names interchangeabil [2] [3] The media in the Republic o Ireland bruiks the nomenclatur preferr'd bi Naitionalists, eg RTÉ News.
The diveision in nomenclatur is seen in parteicular in sports an releigions associate wi ane o the communities. Gaelic gemmes an fitbaw bruiks Derry in club names for byspel. Houaniver, for ti complicate things baith the maistlie unionist Kirk o Ireland an the maistlie naitionalist Roman Catholic Kirk aw cries thair local beishop Beishop o Derry an Raphoe. Nor is thar clear greement on hou ti decide on a name. Whan the naitionalist-control'd local cooncil votit ti cry the ceitie Derry unionists gainstaundit, sain that, as its ceitie status wis aucht a Ryal Chairter, anerlie a chairter pit furth bi Queen Elizabeth II cud chynge the name. Queen Elizabeth waled not til intervene.
Oweraw the uiss o nomenclatur exclusive til ae communitie bi ae communitie is a merkit featur o Norn Iron. At tyms o heich communal tension, ilka syd compleins oft anent the bruik o the nomenclatur associate wi the ither communitie bi a thrid pairtie sic as a media organization, threipin sic bruik kyths "bias" agin thair communitie.
Wi its bettert internaitional staunin, Norn Iron haes recentlie seen risin nummers o tourists wha cum til apprise the aurie's unique heritage. Attractions include cultural blythtyds, muisical an airtistic tradeitions, kintrasyd an geografical steids o interest, pubs, walcumin hospitalitie an sports (especialie gowf an fishin). In 1987, pubs war allou'd til apen on Sundays.
A trilingual syn in Strule Airts Centur, Omey. Inglis is at the tap, Irish in the middil an Ulster-Scots at the dowp
The Mid Ulster dialek o English that's spak in Norn Iron shaws influence frae baith the Wast Midlands an Scotland, tharby giein it a distink accent e'en wi the lave o Hiberno-English, alang wi the uisi o sic Scots wirds as wee an aye. Sum jokinlie cry this dialek foneticalie bi the name Norn Iron. Thar's suposedlie sum wee differs in pronunciation atwein Protestants an Catholics, the best kent o thaim is the name o the letter h, that Protestants tends ti pronoonce as "aitch", as in Breetish English, an Catholics tends ti pronoonce as "haitch", as in Hiberno-English. Houaniver, geografie is a sicht mair wechtie determinant o dialek nor ethnic backgrund. English is bi ferr the maist braid spoken leid in Norn Iron.
Unner the Guid Friday Greement, Irish an Ulster Scots haes offeicial acknawledgment on a par wi that o English. Aften the bruik o the Irish leid in Norn Iron haes met wi the suspeicion o Unionists, that haes associate it wi the maistlie Catholic Republic o Ireland, an mair recent, wi the republican muvement in Norn Iron itsel.
Ulster Scots bes varieties o the Scots leid that's spak in Norn Iron. Monie threips that it haes becum a sindert leid, descendit frae Scots in Scotland, whaur as ithers quaisten whither Scots is a sindert leid frae English, or juist a hatter o dialeks o Scots an Northren Hiberno-English.
Chinese an Urdu is spoken bi Norn Iron's Asian communities an aw. Gaun bi the maist recent census, Chinese is nou the seicont maist spoken leid, tho the 8000-strang Chinese communitie — whyl aften referr'd til as the "thrid mukkilest" communitie in Norn Iron — is awfu wee bi internaitional staundarts.
Further readin [ eedit | eedit soorce ]
Jonathan Bardon, A History of Ulster (Blackstaff Press, Belfast, 1996)
(Blackstaff Press, Belfast, 1996) Robert Kee, The Green Flag: A History of Irish Nationalism (Penguin, 1972–2000), ISBN 0-14-029165-2 |
Did you catch the article in the New York TimesMagazine about the man with a license to hunt in Central Park? How about the interview with the circus clown who was attacked by a small child? I won’t be surprised if you missed them, as they’re buried a century back in the Times archives. I only found them because every week for the past year, I’ve been reading the magazine from exactly 100 years ago.
I started last April. While researching the history of April Fools’ Day for a post on my blog about how annoying the holiday has become, I found a quaint Times article from March 31, 1912, about pranks that were popular at the time. They’re delightfully tame by today’s standards. For example, one “brilliant” stunt had kids calling the New York Aquarium, where a “tired official will have to answer five or six hundred times as good-naturedly as he can the apparently modest query, ‘Is Mr. Fish in?’ ” Hilarious.
The long-form article was whimsically written and filled an entire broadsheet page, complete with lovely line illustrations emblematic of the period. It was a terrific read, and it made me want to read similar Times articles from that era. Unfortunately, most of the articles I found in the Times’s online archive were short, nonillustrated pieces. I couldn’t determine why this one was different. Their deep Web archive is unfortunately not browsable by section, and its search results don’t typically indicate where in the paper an article appeared. I would need to see the article in context to figure this out.
So I went to the microforms room of the New York Public Library and loaded the Times reel for March 1912 into a microfilm reader, a device I hadn’t used for 15 years. I found the April Fools’ article in the “magazine section,” which I discovered was at the time a full-size section of the paper, not an insert as it is today.
I wound through the reel to see what I might find in other issues that month. Just one week earlier, the headline of a full-page magazine article boasted “French Savant Tells of Life on Venus and Mars.” In the text, zoologist Edmond Perrier wrote in extensive detail about the plant and animal life he was sure lived on the two planets. The illustrations showed a world that looked like James Cameron’s Pandora, complete with large-eared humanoid bipeds. This was in the New York Times? I totally needed to blog about this.
As I went through more reels, I found articles every week that were unusual, fascinating, or historically interesting, and all of them apparently long forgotten. Just as it does today, the magazine featured long pieces about science, education, politics, society, and technology. I’m not sure why I expected the language to be difficult to follow, like some early 20th-century novel I couldn’t trudge through in high school, but I was surprised to find the articles highly readable.
It seemed that I could pick any week all the way back to the magazine’s first issue in 1896 and find interesting articles, but I chose 100 years ago as a nice round number from which to start and work my way forward. In the hours I spent during my first trip to the library, I compiled a list of 30 articles I wanted to blog about. Then I realized that nobody would read a long blog post about 30 long-form articles from a century ago. If I wanted people to read these unearthed gems, I was going to have to start a totally new blog. (Since every article published before 1923 has fallen into public domain, I knew I could post them in their entireties for a modern audience.) So for the past year, I’ve been posting my favorite articles from the Sunday Magazine from exactly 100 years ago each week at SundayMagazine.org, along with some commentary or historic context.
Reading articles 100 years after they were published means that the topics are often surprisingly relevant. For example, when today’s media was talking about the 2010 census, I posted a Times Magazine article about how the 1910 census was counted using punch cards and an electric tabulating machine for the first time. When the New York Public Library unveiled its centennial restoration of the main branch, I posted the old magazine’s preview of the brand-new building.
The magazine has changed a lot since the old broadsheet edition. Then again, it’s changed a lot in the last couple of months. In March, the magazine debuted a major content overhaul under the leadership of new editor Hugo Lindgren. Gone is the decades-old “On Language” column. “The Ethicist” has a new writer for the first time in more than 20 years. But Lindgren’s magazine is still closer to that of his predecessor, Gerry Marzorati, than it is to the magazine of 100 years ago. For one thing, the contemporary magazine is much smaller, with about half as many articles per issue as a century ago.
The subject matter has changed as well. Naturally, there was no Hollywood issue 100 years ago, but the circus was a major part of popular culture then, and the magazine occasionally wrote about the lives of clowns, acrobats, and sideshow freaks. One of my favorite articles took a look at the plight of circus clowns outside the ring. It includes an interview with a then-famous clown named Slivers:
“It’s funny,” said Slivers, his eyes resting thoughtfully on his circus feet: “it’s funny how people can’t understand that we clowns are fellow-human animals with just about the same outfit of feelings that the rest of ‘em have. I suppose it’s because people have become so accustomed to seeing the clown always getting the worst end of it in the circus ring that they’ve come to think that he’s built to stand the same kind of a hand-out all along the line.
Slivers goes on to describe the time a child threw an old can at him, slashing his forehead right before he had to enter the ring. As Slivers wiped the blood from his eyes, the child’s father praised his son’s good throw.
As a science buff, I enjoy the science articles in the magazine, though time hasn’t always been kind to them. Spiritualism was a popular movement at the beginning of the last century, and the magazine ran serious articles about psychics, mediums, and human auras alongside articles by prominent scientists writing about advances in aeronautics and global exploration, both of which were booming at the time.
Thomas Edison was a frequent interview subject for the magazine. In October 1910, it published an interview in which he states that there is no soul:
“I cannot believe in the immortality of the soul. … Heaven? Shall I, if I am good and earn reward, go to heaven when I die? No … I am not an individual—I am an aggregate of cells, as for instance, New York City is an aggregate of individuals. Will New York City go to heaven? No, all this talk of an existence for us, as individuals, beyond the grave is wrong.”
The Times received letters of both anger and support in response to Edison’s musings, prompting follow-up articles over several weeks by clergymen and scientists taking one side or the other.
Some of my favorite old articles are profiles of people who did jobs that no longer exist, like Archer Hazzler, the only man with a license to hunt in Central Park. The Spanish War veteran was a prized sharpshooter who worked for the city hunting “a variety of dangerous animals” including rats, weasels, and owls in its parks. Today, the wayward coyote that wanders into Central Park is taken down with tranquilizers by the NYPD.
Sometimes I uncover stories that I can’t believe aren’t part of our modern conversation. I was shocked to read about a county in Ohio where it was common practice to sell your votes to the highest bidder. This went on for decades and was the norm, not the exception. Young men in this county looked forward to the extra income they would receive once they were of voting age. When the story finally broke, more than 1,000 people were indicted. With all the current discussions of voter fraud, falsified voter registrations, and voter disenfranchisement, this seems like a story someone would surely bring up if history hadn’t swept it under the rug.
Then there are the true crime stories. The narratives about detectives investigating crimes with the latest technology—including analyzing blood and consulting finger print records—read like chapters from Caleb Carr’s novel The Alienist, about a murder investigation in old New York. But some of the stories could be straight out of a magazine today. In the past few weeks I’ve read two stories about scam artists who use the Internet to romance lonely individuals and then con them out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. There is even a website called RomanceScam.com dedicated to outing such charlatans. Compare these stories to the 1910 account, in the Sunday Magazine, of a man who fell in love with a woman he only knew through letters. Over 14 years, he sent her his life savings. Eventually he learned that she never existed, but was a fabrication of his neighbor.
One great thing about reading magazine articles from 100 years ago is that I can research what eventually happened to the people in the articles. When I read the details of a murder, I can search news archives to find out if the suspect was eventually convicted. When I posted an article about a man who gave to the public domain his patent for telephone multiplexing, the technology that allows several conversations to be carried on one wire, I was surprised to discover that he later went on to found Muzak. When I looked into the fate of Slivers the clown, I learned that he entered an unconventional relationship that turned darkly tragic.
I actually reached out and contacted the adult son of a 14-year-old boy who I read about in an April, 1910 article. As the president of the Junior Wireless Club, he testified before Congress about radio regulation. He said he imagined a time when “men will be able to carry around with them in their automobiles or aeroplanes wireless telephone outfits” and worried this wouldn’t be possible if the proposed regulation passed. I learned from his son that he lived until 1992, long enough to see his prediction come true.
Click here to read a slide show about the New York Times Magazine 100 years ago. |
CLOSE Justin Mack and diversity reporter Stephanie Wang look ahead to what's next for LGBT rights in Indiana. Stephen J. Beard / IndyStar
Judge's gavel. (Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
A South Bend woman who accused Ivy Tech Community College of discrimination has lost her case because federal law offers no recourse for those who say they are discriminated at work because of sexual orientation.
On Thursday, a panel of judges with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit in Chicago upheld a lower court's dismissal of the suit filed by Kimberly Hively, a former part-time Ivy Tech instructor who said the college did not hire her for full-time employment because she is a lesbian. Ivy Tech denied the allegation.
The ruling highlights a gap in federal civil rights protections in the workplace: Employees are protected from discrimination based on race, sex, religion, color and national origin, but not sexual orientation.
While dismissing the case, the judges criticized the fact that sexual orientation is not included in workplace protections guaranteed under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The judges said that change must come from a ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States or new legislation from Congress.
"It seems unlikely that our society can continue to condone a legal structure in which employees can be fired, harassed, demeaned, singled out for undesirable tasks, paid lower wages, demoted, passed over for promotions, and otherwise discriminated against solely based on who they date, love or marry," the opinion reads.
In Indiana, a bill that sought to add sexual orientation to the state's civil rights protections failed earlier this year.
Sen Travis Holdman, R-Markle, the author of the bill, declined to comment on Thursday's ruling without first seeing the order. Regardless, he said, Indiana remains where it was when his bill died in February.
"We're still up against the same issue of gay rights, which we attempted to get resolved in this last legislative session," Holdman said. "We'll have to see where that takes us from here."
Hively began teaching as a part-time instructor at Ivy Tech in 2000. She sued the institution in August 2014, alleging that administrators turned her down for each of the six full-time positions she applied to between 2009 and 2014 because of her sexual orientation. She said she had never received a negative evaluation.
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She filed an appeal after a federal judge in Indiana dismissed the case, ruling that her claim did not fall under the Civil Rights Act, an argument Ivy Tech made in its response to the lawsuit.
In a statement to IndyStar, Ivy Tech spokesman Jeff Fanter denied the allegation and said the college values diversity and forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation.
"Ivy Tech Community College ... is an equal opportunity employer that does not condone, and in fact explicitly prohibits, employment discrimination based upon a person’s sexual orientation," Fanter said in the statement. "Ivy Tech recognizes the importance of this issue and will continue to conduct its operations in a manner that is consistent with its statement of values and its policies prohibiting discrimination."
The court's opinion noted an ironic tension with the landmark 2015 Supreme Court decision in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage. That decision did not address workplace discrimination.
"The cases as they stand do, however, create a paradoxical legal landscape in which a person can be married on Saturday and then fired on Monday for just that act," the opinion reads.
The judges also make note of an exception to the exclusion of sexual orientation from Title VII protections. In past cases, courts have found that discrimination against someone for not conforming to gender norms falls under sex discrimination. That means, for example, the opinion says, a gay man could win a discrimination case by alleging he was discriminated against for being perceived to have stereotypical feminine mannerisms.
If Hively decides she wants to continue moving forward with the case, she could appeal to the Supreme Court or ask the full 7th Circuit court to hear the case or both.
Hively's attorney, Greg Nevins, said she is still considering her options.
"Obviously she is disappointed with the result," said Nevins, a lawyer with Lambda Legal, an organization that works for the civil rights of the LGBT community.
Individual setbacks, although unfortunate, are part of any marginalized group gaining equality, said Indy Pride President Jason Hinson-Nolen.
"When you get rulings like this, you can look at this and say it's disappointing, or you can look at it and say it’s hopeful," he said. "This opens the door for that and allows the conversation to continue. Sometimes those small steps of disappointment lead us to somewhere that is groundbreaking and to equality across the board."
Freedom Indiana Campaign Manager Chris Paulsen said Thursday's ruling wasn't surprising.
"It really highlights why we need protections that explicitly cover sexual orientation and gender identity," Paulsen said. "There have been rulings that go both directions. Different people have to interpret laws differently.
"It's something that the Supreme Court will have to decide eventually."
Call IndyStar reporter Madeline Buckley at (317) 444-6083. Follow her on Twitter: @Mabuckley88.
Read or Share this story: http://indy.st/2ausYpv |
Chandler, Ariz., native Brett Hundley chose to play his college ball outside of the state, but he appears to be open to returning to the Valley for his professional career.
The former UCLA quarterback was on “The Rich Eisen Show” last week and was asked about the prospect of playing for the Arizona Cardinals.
“That would be awesome. That would be amazing,” Hundley told “The Rich Eisen Show.” “To go home and play for your hometown team when you grew up not too far away, that would be a dream come true.”
The 6-foot-3, 227-pound QB enjoyed a three-year career with the Bruins, throwing for 9,966 yards and 75 touchdowns with 25 interceptions. He led the Pac-12 in passing completions and yards during his freshman season, and his career completion percentage of 67.6 is the second-highest in conference history since 1956.
Hundley was also a prolific runner, gaining 1,747 yards on 479 attempts (3.6 yards per rush) with 30 touchdowns over the course of his career. He led the program to a 29-11 record during his three years under center.
As much of a “dream” as returning to Arizona would be for the Chandler High graduate, NFL.com writer Dan Parr says the chances are slim he’d land with his hometown team. Parr says spending a first-round pick on a quarterback other than Marcus Mariota of Oregon or Jameis Winston of Florida State would be a reach for any NFL team, and that those two standouts should be long gone by the time Arizona makes the 24th selection in the draft.
Hundley may be worth a look for the Cardinals in the second round, Parr says, but the team seems to have three viable signal callers on the roster already.
The Cardinals spent a fourth-round pick on Logan Thomas last year, but if Arians has decided Thomas isn’t the team’s quarterback of the future, perhaps he’ll take a chance on Hundley and groom him behind Carson Palmer.
Follow @AZSports |
Former Ambassador for Pacific Economic Development Shane Jones has let loose on the Government's immigration policy, slamming it as "conceited".
The former Labour MP has dropped hints he's planning a return to politics, this time with New Zealand First.
Newshub spoke to him on Thursday following the release of a Newshub-Reid Research poll showing the Labour party's popularity is plummeting.
In response, Mr Jones slammed the current Government's immigration policy.
"The Government's become conceited, it's got an unhinged immigration policy, international education is now synonymous with butter chicken - rancid," he said.
Mr Jones was stripped of his portfolios in 2010 after it emerged he used his taxpayer-funded credit card to hire pornographic films while away on ministerial business.
He stepped down as a Labour MP in 2014.
Newshub. |
The £3,500 laser surgery that will stop you sweating for good
It's no sweat: Model Danielle Lloyd has suffered in the past
A little perspiration is one of life’s minor irritations – unless you are a celebrity in the unforgiving glare of the paparazzi camera lenses.
Most people simply reach for the trusty deodorant to keep it at bay, but for the worst-affected sufferers it can be a real social nightmare.
Now a British surgeon is offering a more permanent solution.
A new cosmetic surgery technique, available for the first time in the UK, claims to be able to get rid of underarm sweat for good.
The £3,500 hour-long procedure, pioneered in Brazil, uses a laser to burn away underarm sweat glands and claims to leave patients with minimal scarring and sweat-free armpits.
Previously, one of the few options for people with sweat problems has been major surgery conducted under general anaesthetic to cut nerves in the chest that lead to the sweat glands.
Celebrities including former Miss England and Celebrity Big Brother contestant Danielle Lloyd have also resorted to injections of anti-wrinkle treatment Botox under the arms, which offers a temporary solution.
The new technique, called Laser Sweat Ablation, is said to be able to help cure everything from minor sweat problems to axillary hyperhidrosis – excessive, uncontrollable sweating which can cause enormous discomfort and embarrassment.
But experts are concerned that the procedure means patients will seek surgical treatment even if their condition could be better dealt with by behavioural therapists.
They say some cases of excessive sweating can be caused by nerves or psychological problems.
They also claim that surgery on the underarm area has a high likelihood of complications because it can become easily infected, and that it should be considered a last-resort treatment.
The technique is being introduced by consultant vascular surgeon Mark Whiteley, who pioneered the country’s first keyhole surgery for varicose veins ten years ago.
He will treat the first British patient at his private clinic in nearby Guildford, tomorrow. Mr Whiteley said the procedure would ‘transform people’s lives’.
Before the operation, the underarms are coated with iodine and a starch is applied, identifying where the sweat glands are. The patient is then given a local anaesthetic and surgeons make a 3mm incision, separating the skin from the body tissue.
A standard surgical laser is inserted to burn away the glands from beneath the skin layer. The whole operation takes around one hour.
Mr Whiteley added: ‘The Laser Sweat Ablation treatment allows patient to return to their normal activities within hours of treatment, and be fully recovered after four to seven days.’
The patient said: ‘I have been suffering from excessively sweaty armpits for more than five years and it makes me feel very self-conscious.
‘I tried Botox injections for a while but they are very expensive and only give a temporary result.
‘It will be a great relief never to have to worry about sweat patches on my clothes again.’
However, Professor Christopher Mathias, a neurovascular medicine specialist at the University of London, has some concerns.
He said: ‘It could be great for patients. However, removing sweat glands is a tricky operation and there could be complications from infection. Surgery should always be a last resort.’ |
HyperST Profile Joined February 2015 Canada 278 Posts Last Edited: 2015-06-17 05:34:00 June 17 2015 05:14 GMT #1 Translation Source: http://wangyou.pcgames.com.cn/523/5239561.html
http://lol.duowan.com/1506/298388920466.html
From the S4 World champion jungler to the emergency duty sub top laner, Dandy decided to play as the top laner for one split.
LPL fans should have already noticed that VG recently went through some roster changes. The team’s star jungler, Dandy, transitioned into the top lane role. World6, the new jungler, had some synergy issues playing with the team. After three weeks of LPL, VG’s 0-5-1 record placed them at the 9th spot – a poor result. Today, we interviewed VG’s team leader, YiL. He answered some questions about VG’s roster, and claimed that “Dandy’s transition is a last resort action. I believe there won’t be any more changes for the rest of the split.
Q: VG has a poor result this split. Have you guys predicted this to happen?
A: Due to some problems in the team, we were forced to make roster changes. We have already predicted consequences for sending a rookie onto the stage. But, since we had good scrim results, the two 1:1 score from last week was still unsatisfactory.
Q: So Dandy has already played as the top laner for three weeks. Why let him transition to the top lane?
A: Our top laner had health issues that prevented him to continue playing competitively. Therefore, we picked out a somewhat good jungler from our youth training squad, and we let Dandy transition into the top lane. (Why not find a sub top laner instead?) There weren’t any good top laners to choose from and we believed that this rookie jungler suited the current patch very well. Also, we respect the players’ personal opinions. Dandy wanted to challenge himself to play the top lane role.
Q: Does Dandy play top lane regularly? As a jungler, is Dandy suitable for this new position?
A: He plays top lane a lot in solo queue. And our previous coach Homme, originally a top laner, is confident at Dandy’s transition. Dandy himself also found the top lane role to be interesting.
Q: There is public dissent about Dandy’s top lane transition to the top laner since he is a world class jungler. Is Dandy’s transition permanent or will there be future plans from the team?
A: Yes, the transition for him is a last resort action. I believe there won’t be any more changes for the rest of the split.
Q: We noticed that Vasilii (SWXG) still hasn’t made an appearance this split. How did you guys choose between the new ADC and Vasilii?
A: Vasilii is still in the period of self-adjustment. I believe Vasilii will return to the competitive stage when he returns to his former self. The new ADC Endless is very young and can be easily molded to suit the future development of the team.
Q: The mid laner, Hetong, sometimes received criticisms. What do you think about his current situation and status?
A: Hetong is an excellent player. He needs time to adjust his mentality. I believe he can remain the main carry power for the team.
Q: After Dandy’s transition and the introduction of a new jungler, we discovered that VG has some synergy problems. How do you guys solve them?
A: Overall, our team needs some time to develop synergy. At the moment, our team still has a lot of growth potential. The difficulty lies in the lack of experience from our rookies that are not yet experienced. Although Hetong played an entire Spring Split, theoretically the three Chinese players on our team are all rookies. I believe this team will be scary the day they can play in competitive games with 100% of their ability demonstrated in scrims.
Q: Honestly, VG’s roster looks promising. What is the team’s goal this split and is it achievable?
A: Our goal is top 4 this split. Last split we were denied the top 4 LPL spot by iG, and we were denied the top 8 spot in Demacia cup by iG again. I think we should take our revenge for once.
Q: iG looks solid at the moment, but VG is still adjusting. When will your team recover to its optimal status?
A: We still need some time. We want to prove ourselves post season. There are no weak teams in the current LPL. For VG, every challenge is an opportunity. I think that this is our first challenge. Whether it is facing iG or qualifying for S5 worlds, every team has hope. VG is no different.
Post interview notes: Two weeks after Dandy’s top lane transition. VG’s score consisted of 0-2 loss to iG, 1-1 tie to WE, and 1-1 tie to King. Overall, this team still needs the top-jungle synergy to be better.
We learned through our interview that VG already confirmed a new roster – this is a good sign, since this LPL split is too competitive, and VG has shown some decent cards on the table. We will have to see if VG can catch-up in the mid-to-post season after an unfavourable start. From the S4 World champion jungler to the emergency duty sub top laner, Dandy decided to play as the top laner for one split.LPL fans should have already noticed that VG recently went through some roster changes. The team’s star jungler, Dandy, transitioned into the top lane role. World6, the new jungler, had some synergy issues playing with the team. After three weeks of LPL, VG’s 0-5-1 record placed them at the 9th spot – a poor result. Today, we interviewed VG’s team leader, YiL. He answered some questions about VG’s roster, and claimed that “Dandy’s transition is a last resort action. I believe there won’t be any more changes for the rest of the split.A: Due to some problems in the team, we were forced to make roster changes. We have already predicted consequences for sending a rookie onto the stage. But, since we had good scrim results, the two 1:1 score from last week was still unsatisfactory.A: Our top laner had health issues that prevented him to continue playing competitively. Therefore, we picked out a somewhat good jungler from our youth training squad, and we let Dandy transition into the top lane.There weren’t any good top laners to choose from and we believed that this rookie jungler suited the current patch very well. Also, we respect the players’ personal opinions. Dandy wanted to challenge himself to play the top lane role.A: He plays top lane a lot in solo queue. And our previous coach Homme, originally a top laner, is confident at Dandy’s transition. Dandy himself also found the top lane role to be interesting.A: Yes, the transition for him is a last resort action. I believe there won’t be any more changes for the rest of the split.A: Vasilii is still in the period of self-adjustment. I believe Vasilii will return to the competitive stage when he returns to his former self. The new ADC Endless is very young and can be easily molded to suit the future development of the team.A: Hetong is an excellent player. He needs time to adjust his mentality. I believe he can remain the main carry power for the team.A: Overall, our team needs some time to develop synergy. At the moment, our team still has a lot of growth potential. The difficulty lies in the lack of experience from our rookies that are not yet experienced. Although Hetong played an entire Spring Split, theoretically the three Chinese players on our team are all rookies. I believe this team will be scary the day they can play in competitive games with 100% of their ability demonstrated in scrims.A: Our goal is top 4 this split. Last split we were denied the top 4 LPL spot by iG, and we were denied the top 8 spot in Demacia cup by iG again. I think we should take our revenge for once.A: We still need some time. We want to prove ourselves post season. There are no weak teams in the current LPL. For VG, every challenge is an opportunity. I think that this is our first challenge. Whether it is facing iG or qualifying for S5 worlds, every team has hope. VG is no different.Two weeks after Dandy’s top lane transition. VG’s score consisted of 0-2 loss to iG, 1-1 tie to WE, and 1-1 tie to King. Overall, this team still needs the top-jungle synergy to be better.We learned through our interview that VG already confirmed a new roster – this is a good sign, since this LPL split is too competitive, and VG has shown some decent cards on the table. We will have to see if VG can catch-up in the mid-to-post season after an unfavourable start. Twitter: @HyperST | @Esportsheaven |
The TV Wheel is a 1995 television pilot created by and starring Joel Hodgson, of Mystery Science Theater 3000 fame. The pilot was funded by cable network HBO, but they ultimately passed on picking up the show. The pilot episode eventually aired once on Comedy Central as a special presentation following the last new episode of MST3K to be broadcast on that network.
The Xbox (later renamed TV Wheel) under construction. The single stationary camera is mounted in the center of the platform
The program is a sketch comedy show. A single stationary camera was mounted inside the center of a large rotating platform. As the platform rotated around the camera, a scene would come into view of the camera. The wheel would stop and a sketch would play out in the scene, which was often framed by some piece of appropriate artwork or prop (for the purposes of forced perspective). At the end of the scene, the wheel would rotate, carrying one scene out of the camera's view and bringing another in, and a new sketch would begin in the new scene. Some scenes were self-contained on the platform, while others were open to the studio beyond the platform (and additional action would take place in the background).
In early designs, the project was known as the "X-Box" (unrelated to Microsoft's later gaming system), and was designed as an X-shaped enclosure that would rotate around the camera.
Hodgson made an early test version of the program, called "The X-Box is Turning", which featured different content than "The TV Wheel" and was less polished than "Wheel". The test program, along with a brief documentary on the making of the Xbox, was offered for sale on VHS during Comedy Central's only broadcast of "The TV Wheel".
A number of comedians and writers appeared on both "The TV Wheel" and "The X-Box is Turning", including Morwenna Banks, Steve Bannos, David Cross, Paul Feig, Doug Benson, Melissa Samuels and Fred Stoller. In addition, Brian Posehn appeared in "X-Box" and Andy Kindler appeared in "TV Wheel". |
IDEAS Stiglitz is a Nobel laureate in Economics
Pieth is a criminologist at the University of Basel
Twenty-six years ago, as the U.S. invaded Panama to overthrow the narco-President Manuel Noriega, Panama’s reputation hit a nadir: a drug center where criminality reached to the highest level. Since then, the country has made great strides in restoring its reputation, though it remained one of those off-shore “fiscal paradises” where secrecy served well those who were engaged in tax evasion and money laundering. Even here, Panama was making great improvements.
Its location made it extraordinarily well-suited as a logistics hub for the Americas. It has taken advantage of this position, with its airline Copa establishing itself in Panama City as a major hub for international travel. The expansion of the Canal, inaugurated on June 26, represents another milestone, though questions have been raised about its safety, quality of construction and economic viability. These were alternative business models—Panama didn’t have to be a hub for tax evasion and money laundering, and honest people knew it. Indeed, the kinds of activities that secrecy fostered had a corrosive effect on society.
That’s why we were excited when the Government of Panama asked us, in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal, to be members of a Committee of Experts to evaluate and recommend for adoption measures to strengthen the transparency of its financial and legal system. (Stiglitz was chosen to chair.) Perhaps what Panama would do, what our Committee would recommend, would serve as a model that other such centers of secrecy could follow. The inauguration of the Committee in Panama City by the President, before an assemblage of ambassadors and other dignitaries, seemed to signified the President’s commitment. From there, though, things went very quickly downhill.
Missives from the intermediary between the Government and the Committee suggested that there might not be full transparency of the Report, so at the first full meeting of the Committee in New York, in June, we demanded that if the Committee was to proceed, the Government had to commit to making the report public, whatever its findings. We recognized that the Government might want to take time to form a response. How could a committee whose purpose was to further transparency be itself anything less than transparent? But we were puzzled as weeks passed with no response. We were then astounded when the government refused to provide these assurances, and instead reminded us, by the terms of the Decree establishing the Committee, that it alone was responsible for publicizing the findings—and presumably interpreting what they meant. International standards are changing rapidly—for the better—and our Committee was set to recommend that Panama would have to take big steps to keep abreast. Panama had been a laggard. To catch up to global standards it needed, for instance an effective Freedom of Information Act, which would have the dual effect of ensuring that the Committee’s Report would be in the public domain. When the government couldn’t assure transparency, we had no choice but to resign.
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We can only speculate on what happened. Was it always intended to be a PR stunt, and they miscalculated our commitment to fighting corruption? Did the forces for secrecy finally prevail? (ICIJ, the investigative group that broke the Panama Paper story, reports the close connection between the President and the financial services industry.)
What were they afraid of? In our initial meeting, there was resistance by some Panamanian members of the Committee to the international standard on exchange of tax-related information, entailing a multilateral agreement that such information is exchanged automatically, but in the weeks following our meeting, the government agreed to that.
Panama has made important strides in transparency legislation in other areas. Perhaps they worried that we would note large gaps between talk and action, between the legislation and enforcement. Were they worried that we might verify that Panama’s tax-free zones were being used for money laundering, and that we might recommend higher standards for those allowed to receive preferential tax treatment, which should be viewed as a privilege, not a right?
Panama has been at the center of the registration of thousands of secretive corporations, which facilitate money laundering, corruption, tax evasion and other illicit activities. Fighting these activities requires creating a searchable registry of the ultimate beneficial owner of each corporation, available at a minimum to certain authorities. At our initial meeting, some Panamanians too showed resistance to this idea—one which would perhaps undermine the business model exposed by the Panama Papers.
The key issue facing the international community today is what sanctions should be imposed on pariah and rogue states which violate international norms, and whose secrecy facilitates crime, corruption, tax evasion, and money laundering. These secrecy-havens only exist because the U.S. and Europe allow it: they could not function were they cut off from our financial system. Panama has failed to do its part to ensure transparency. Now it is time for us to do ours.
Joseph E. Stiglitz is a Nobel laureate in Economics, University Professor at Columbia University and Chief Economist of the Roosevelt Institute.
Mark Pieth is a criminologist at the University of Basel. He chaired the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Working Group on Bribery for 24 years, and was a member of the Volcker Committee investigating the UN’s Oil for Food Program in Iraq.
Contact us at editors@time.com. |
For those who don’t know, Sleep No More is an immersive, interactive (to a point) play that takes place inside a fictional old, renovated hotel on Manhattan’s West Side. The stage is composed of all five floors of the building, each floor a different set. The first floor I was on was a kind of market arcade with a candy shop, tailor, photographer, witchy apothecary shop, speakeasy and more. Some of the other floors included forests, apartments, a ballroom, graveyards with crumbling stone walls and statues of angels pointing ominously off into the darkness.
The play happens all around you; it’s like being able to step into a film and just follow certain plot threads or characters. The audience wears white Venetian-style masks during the performance. This is for two reasons: 1) you clearly know who the actors are by their lack of masks and 2) it helps separate you from the fact that you’re watching a play. At some point, it starts to feel like you’re all ghosts following these people around. At other times it feels like the actors are the ghosts as they act out scenes in loops, going through the same motions over and over again.
The plot is based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, but you only need to know the broad strokes: murder, guilt, madness, revenge and the occult. At one point, I stumbled into a bar where a violent and bloody and amazing occult orgy broke out. Techno music thudded while a strobe light reduced dynamic movements to still images. A fully nude man wearing a goat’s head stood bloody on a table while two women, topless and gore-covered, danced around him, holding the remains of a dead baby. Another man, his face covered in blood, danced right in front of me.
Later – much later – I stood in a narrow tool-room watching a dark-haired woman read a letter, just the two of us. I skimmed the page from over her shoulder. It was from Macbeth and was about the three weird sisters. Minutes before, this woman was taunting a pregnant woman with some kind of addictive drink, withholding it from her and making her climb chairs to get at teacups of the stuff. They performed a remarkable and desperate dance in a small dining room, kicking off of walls and climbing over tables, dodging ghost-faced spectators. But now, in that room with her reading the letter, all was quiet. A man started screaming. We both looked toward the doorway: blackness. Then she stood and walked toward me, almost passed me, but stopped and took my hand. |
Ask subscribers to Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH) why they choose the satellite television provider and the most common answer is likely to be cost. Dish is cheaper than major cable providers like Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and satellite rival DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV), starting at just $24.99 a month.
But now that Dish has bought the defunct library of one-time movie rental powerhouse Blockbuster, you may see another big reason that consumers will buy into Dish: A digital library of movies they can access over the Internet, akin to Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX).
The purchase of Blockbuster is an important strategic shift for Dish. It means the company is flexing its muscle in an attempt to become a major player.
But more importantly for consumers, it may mean more viewing options and competitive pricing for consumers. Blockbuster’s online content library could give Dish Network an opportunity to create an online product to supplement the viewing experience – akin to Netflix offering mail-order DVDs alongside streaming content.
That’s just speculation, but it would align with the overall goal of Dish Network to provide a top-notch experience even as it is seen as a low-cost option. In recent years network has expanded HD offerings, on-demand movies and channel selection to make quality a bigger part of the equation.
And now that Dish Network has snapped up Blockbuster and its content, customers may find many more reasons to like Dish Network than just the smaller monthly bill. That means rivals better take notice in the wake of the $320 million bankruptcy sale.
Of course, it is going to be an uphill battle for Dish. Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) now has 20 million viewers, and its stock has skyrocketed over 700% in the last five years. DirecTV revenue for 2011 is slated for $26.5 billion – growth of over 50% from fiscal 2006 – and the stock has soared over 180% in the last 5 years. This growth isn’t anything to sneeze at.
And by contrast Dish network has sadly been left out of the party recently. Shares and revenue haven’t shown much action at all over the last five years. It has been soundly profitable, but Dish has clearly been a secondary player in a secondary television provider market.
Still, the purchase of Blockbuster – and the $1.4 billion purchase of hybrid satellite-landline communications provider DBSD North America earlier this year – means Dish is flexing its muscle. Likely results could be more viewing options and competitive pricing for consumers, and the chance that DISH stock could break out of its slump.
Obviously no one should be counting chickens before they are hatched. The winning bid must still be approved by a bankruptcy court on Thursday, and Dish clearly has a long way to go. Entrenched cable giants like Comcast are digging in, NFLX is the undisputed king of online content and is rolling out original Netflix programming and satellite leader DirecTV isn’t going to give up any of its 19 million-plus subscribers without a fight.
But moving sideways for another five years just isn’t an option if Dish Network wants to stay around. The timing and fire-sale price of Blockbuster assets makes the move a smart one, regardless of whether it pays off.
Jeff Reeves is editor of InvestorPlace.com. As of this writing, he did not own a position in any of the stocks or funds named here. Follow him on Twitter via @JeffReevesIP and become a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook. |
Christmas Traditions of Homesick Cuban
Day 1 in making a traditional Christmas pork (Cuban Lechon) marinating. I didn't make it for Christmas eve this year, as we are in a hotel while our truck is getting worked on. But I have fixed this on the truck in the past. It can be a little time consuming, but many home-cooked meals are, and they are so worth it. As soon as the truck is fixed and we're back in it instead of this hotel room, I'll fix it. Perhaps for New Year's Eve.
To make the marinade you need garlic, and lots of it. Depending on the size of the pork anywhere from 3 to 10 heads. Yes, Cuban's use lots of garlic! For a small pork loin, I use around 3-4 heads for the marinade.
Ingredients:
Unsalted Pork loin, keep the fat on
3-4 heads of garlic, separated, peeled, and slightly crushed
2 cups of Sour Orange Juice (sour oranges are a tropical fruit about the size of a grapefruit, with a flavor similar to Key Limes.) If you can't find sour oranges or their juice, you can make your own by mixing 1 cup of regular orange juice, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, and a 1/2 cup of lime juice.
Salt and Pepper to taste Crushed Oregano, a couple tablespoons
Start with an unsalted pork loin, make sure it has a good bit of fat still on it. Using a sharp knife poke holes all over the pork loin, then stuff each hole with a mashed clove of garlic. This will take atleast one whole head, and up to several heads of garlic if you have a large pork. Rub the pork down with black pepper and crushed oregano.
In a blender add in the remaining 3 or more heads of garlic, peeled, and all of the sour orange juice. Blend until it is the consistancy of a thin pancake batter. With the pork in a deep-sided pan, pour the orange and garlic marinade over it. Cover with foil, wrap in a large plastic bag (an unused trash bag works well.) Place in the frigerator for at least 24 hours. The larger the pork the longer it needs to marinate. For large porks we will let it soak for 3 full days. Flip the pork a couple times a day. |
November 2, 1898: Johnny Campbell cheers on the University of Minnesota Golden Gopher football team. The Minnesota Gophers first started playing intercollegiate football in 1882. They did not have a head coach the first season. The sport was “the all-absorbing amusement,” according to the school paper, as early as 1878, but they only played other Minnesota students. Teams met on September 29, 1892 for an intercollegiate track meet. After the races, the two groups of athletes played a game of American football with Minnesota winning 4-0. The only other game the first season was a rematch which Minnesota lost.
Thomas Peebles came from Princeton to teach philosophy. He had played football for the Ivy League school and was given the job of head coach. His only year in that position held a 1-2 record. Peebles gave the game some crowd appeal by encouraging the fans to support the players. He got the crowd organized and rooting for the team. Johnny Campbell took the idea one step further. He led the crowd in chanting for their team on the field. His efforts have led to this date being noted as the birth of cheerleading.
Soon, Campbell had formed a “yell leaders” squad. Six men got the crowds cheering together for the Big Ten team. Jack Minds, head coach, ended with a season record of 4-5 (1-2 Big Ten). Campbell’s original cheer is still used today. By 1903 Gamma Sigma was founded as the first cheerleading fraternity. Cheerleading was an all male sport until 1923. By that time gymnastics, tumbling, and megaphones were being introduced. Today, about 97% of cheerleaders are female.
The National Council for Spirit Safety and Education now provides safety training for spirit coaches. Their certification program stresses educational development while maintaining safe practices. The National Cheer Safety Foundation seeks to “reduce injury, disability, and death due to cheerleading.” Cheerleaders do more than urge the crowds to yell and scream. They are gymnasts who perform complicated routines featuring a combination of tumbles, dance steps, and stunts. Because of injuries, some moves have been banned. It is one of the most dangerous sports today due to the building of human pyramids. In 2001, US cheerleaders made ≈ 25,000 trips to the ER for injuries sustained while engaged in the sport.
“Rah, Rah, Rah! Sku-u-mar, Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah! Varsity! Varsity! Varsity, Minn-e-So-Tah!” – Johnny Campbell “The refs have always been blind, it’s our job to make them deaf.” – Danielle (cheerleader) “Wimps lift Weights, Cheerleaders lift People.” – Stephanie (cheerleader) “I trade sweat for strength. I trade doubt for belief. I trade cheerleading for nothing!” – Kate (cheerleader)
This article first appeared at examiner.com in 2009. Editor’s update: The University of Minnesota was established in 1851 and is located in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The urban campus covers 2,730 acres. The school colors are maroon and gold and they are still known at the Golden Gophers with their mascot, Goldy Gopher, urging them on to victory. Their endowment for 2012 was $2.494 billion (system wide). University president is Eric W. Kaler with Karen Hanson as Provost. There are almost 52,000 students enrolled, more than half as undergrads. Their football teams have won 7 National Championships and 18 Big Ten Conference Championships. Beginning in 1887 and with a 63-0 win, the Golden Gophers have played against the University of Wisconsin, Madison every year except for 1906. The 117 game rivalry is the most played in the NCAA Division I-A league.
Also on this day: Mo Ri Xon– In 1965, Norman Morrison lit himself on fire in front of the Pentagon as a war protest.
North and South Dakota – In 1889, the two states were added to the Union.
Is That Your Final Answer? – In 1959, Charles Van Doren testified to Congress. |
Kobi Simmons, the No. 18 in the ESPN 100, announces he will play for Arizona next season and says Wildcats coach Sean Miller made the decision easy for him. (1:34)
Arizona has its point guard. Five-star senior Kobi Simmons committed to the Wildcats on Saturday, announcing his decision on ESPN.
"My relationship with Coach Miller is very strong, and he is going to put the ball in my hands and allow me to make plays on and off the ball," Simmons said. "Also I think the Arizona style of play and the Pac-12 Conference's style of play best fits my game."
Simmons chose Sean Miller's program over fellow finalists Ohio State and Kentucky. He said his trust in the coaching staff was a key factor in his decision.
Editor's Picks Scout's take: ESPN 100 PG Kobi Simmons picks Arizona Kobi Simmons projects as a major matchup problem for Pac-12 opponents, as a 6-6 point guard for Arizona.
"It just felt like a family," Simmons said. "I just felt really wanted and needed there. Every player in the team has texted me and hit me up."
The No. 18 player in the ESPN 100, Simmons saw his recruitment take plenty of twists and turns during his junior and senior seasons. Kentucky was long thought to be the leader, but the Wildcats focused more on De'Aaron Fox as the summer progressed, and Fox committed to coach John Calipari in November.
Ohio State and UNLV were also involved, but the Runnin' Rebels fell out of the mix once the program and coach Dave Rice parted ways earlier this month. Had Simmons committed during the early signing period, the Buckeyes were in a good position, but he decided to prolong his recruitment and other schools entered the fold.
Miller made a late push and was able to close the deal even though Simmons did not take an official visit to Tucson.
"I will get a visit set up soon after I commit," Simmons said.
Kobi Simmons is the second 2016 recruit for Arizona. Kelly Kline/Adidas
Simmons, a 6-foot-5 point guard, had 34 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in a double-overtime win against Frank Jackson (No. 14) and Lone Peak (Utah) at the Hoophall Classic on Saturday afternoon. A St. Francis (Ga.) product, he recently became the school's all-time leading scorer, passing the 2,000-point mark.
Simmons should be able to compete for a starting job next season for Arizona. The Wildcats have used multiple players at point guard this season, including sophomore Parker Jackson-Cartwright and junior Kadeem Allen. Freshman Justin Simon was a four-star point guard coming out of high school, but his minutes have been sporadic.
Simmons is the second member of Arizona's 2016 recruiting class, joining talented power forward Lauri Markkanen, a 6-11 prospect from Finland.
Miller and the Wildcats are still in pursuit of elite prospect Josh Jackson (No. 3), the highest-ranked uncommitted player remaining in the class. Australia native Harry Froling, a 6-9 inside player, is also on their radar. |
Violation Tracker, the first public database of corporate crime and misconduct in the United States, has been expanded.
It is now possible to access details of cases ranging from the big business scandals of the early 2000s during the Bush administration through those of the Trump administration.
Violation Tracker is the product of Corporate Research Project of Good Jobs First.
“With coverage from 2000 onward, Violation Tracker now spans the entire modern corporate crime wave from Enron and WorldCom through Wells Fargo and Volkswagen,” said Good Jobs First Research Director Philip Mattera.
Previously the database covered the period since 2010.
The expansion nearly doubles the size of Violation Tracker to 300,000 entries, which together account for more than $394 billion in fines and settlements.
As a measure of how corporate crime is concentrated within big business, 95 percent of those penalty values were assessed against only 2,800 large parent companies whose subsidiaries are linked together in the database.
About 200,000 smaller businesses account for the remaining five percent of the dollar total.
The list of corporations with the largest overall penalties does not change much as a result of the additional ten years of coverage.
Financial giants such as Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup, along with BP and Volkswagen, still dominate the top ten.
But the full list for the period since 2000 now includes controversial corporations from the early years of the 21st Century, including Adelphia Communications ($715 million in penalties documented), WorldCom ($504 million) and Enron ($446 million).
Mattera said that while it is too soon to draw any conclusions about the Trump Administration’s record, the recent data added to Violation Tracker shows that the level of enforcement activity at many agencies has not significantly changed.
Overall, the database documents $9.9 billion in penalties announced since Inauguration Day – but $5.5 billion of that is a single case: the Royal Bank of Scotland agreeing to compensate the Federal Housing Finance Agency for toxic securities sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac during the period leading up to the financial meltdown.
Violation Tracker’s entries, which come from more than 40 federal regulatory agencies and the major divisions of the U.S. Justice Department, cover a wide array of civil and criminal offenses, including – violations of environmental, workplace safety, drug safety, consumer product safety, and transportation safety regulations, banking, securities, and accounting fraud; price-fixing, collective bargaining and fair labor standards violations, employment discrimination, False Claims Act cases, foreign bribery, money laundering, and corporate tax evasion.
Cases handled solely by individual U.S. Attorney offices and by state agencies will be added later.
Each entry links to an official online information source.
In many cases, the cases also link to documents preserved on the Good Jobs First server. The latter include some 3,500 entries created from documents obtained via Freedom of Information Act requests when agency data was not available online. |
A creamy velvety cheesecake topped with ruby red cranberry sauce. A festive holiday treat perfect for the Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert table.
Did you know today is World Diabetes Day? I didn’t either and if you take a look at my blog you can easily understand why. I bake absolutely nothing that can be called diabetic friendly, well except for these Pumpkin Cookies I made last year for my friend Carolyn and this beautiful Cranberry Cheesecake which happens to be both sugar and gluten free.
I’ve been reading Carolyn’s blog since I started blogging and I’ve learned that even if you have diabetes you can still enjoy lots of sweet treats, oh, and she’s a professional when it comes to whipping a low-carb gluten free sweet treat.
When she emailed me a few weeks ago about participating in an event to raise Diabetes awareness my first thought went to my mother in law. Some of you might smile of this point but I’ve mention her before and she’s as sweet as sugar, the sad part being she has to watch her blood sugar.
And just like Carolyn, my mother in law loves sweets. She has to has some every day, even if it’s just a few crumbs.
This cheesecake recipe is my favorite. I have made it several types using regular sugar and every time I just change the sauce on top, it depends on my mood and the season. This time I picked cranberries since they are in season, but you can leave it plain if you prefer.
Instead of regular white sugar I used Swerve, an all-natural diabetic friendly sweetener. It was the first time I have used it and it was a wonderful experience.
It was the first time I also made cranberry sauce for the cheesecake and can’t say for sure if it was the sweetener or just in general, but it dried out a wee bit. I’d recommend topping the cheesecake with the cranberry sauce just before serving, this way you prevent it from drying out.
The cheesecake turned out creamy and velvety, just like I like it. As a variation (and I’ve made it several times as well) you can replace one package of cream cheese with 1 cup of cottage cheese) |
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Withering cyberattacks on server farms of a key internet firm repeatedly disrupted access to major websites and online services including Twitter, Netflix and PayPal across the United States on Friday. The White House called the disruption malicious and a hacker group claimed responsibility, though its assertion couldn’t be verified.
Manchester, New Hampshire-based Dyn Inc. said its data centers were hit by three waves of distributed denial-of-service attacks, which overwhelm targeted machines with junk data traffic. The attacks, shifting geographically, had knock-on effects for users trying to access popular websites across the U.S. even in Europe.
“The complexity of the attacks is what is making it so difficult for us,” said Kyle York, the company’s chief strategy officer. “What they are actually doing is moving around the world with each attack.” He said an East Coast data center was hit first; attacks on an offshore target followed later.
The data flood came from tens of millions of different Internet-connected machines — including increasingly popular but highly insecure household devices such as web-connected cameras. It was an onslaught whose global shifts suggested a sophisticated attacker, though Dyn said it had neither suspect nor motive.
BROAD EFFECTS
The level of disruption was difficult to gauge, but Dyn serves some of the biggest names on the web, providing the domain name services that translate the numerical internet addresses into human-readable destinations such as “twitter.com.”
Steve Grobman, chief technology officer at Intel Security, compared an outage at a domain name services company to tearing up a map or turning off GPS before driving to the department store. “It doesn’t matter that the store is fully open or operational if you have no idea how to get there,” he said in a telephone interview.
Jason Read, founder of the internet performance monitoring firm CloudHarmony, owned by Gartner Inc., said his company tracked a half-hour-long disruption early Friday in which roughly one in two end users would have found it impossible to access various websites from the East Coast.
“We’ve been monitoring Dyn for years and this is by far the worst outage event that we’ve observed,” said Read.
Dyn provides services to some 6 percent of America’s Fortune 500 companies, he said. A full list of affected companies wasn’t immediately available but Twitter, Netflix, PayPal and the coder hangout Github said they experienced problems.
HACKERS CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY
Members of a shadowy collective that calls itself New World Hackers claimed responsibility for the attack via Twitter. They said they organized networks of connected “zombie” computers called botnets that threw a staggering 1.2 terabits per second of data at the Dyn-managed servers.
“We didn’t do this to attract federal agents, only test power,” two collective members who identified themselves as “Prophet” and “Zain” told an AP reporter via Twitter direct message exchange. They said more than 10 member participated in the attack. It was not immediately possible to verify the claim.
Dyn officials said they have received no claim of responsibility, but are working with law enforcement.
The collective, @NewWorldHacking on Twitter, has in the past claimed responsibility for similar attacks against sites including ESPN.com in September and the BBC on Dec. 31. The attack on the BBC marshaled half the computing power of Friday’s onslaught.
The collective has also claimed responsibility for cyberattacks against Islamic State. The two said about 30 people have access to the @NewWorkdHacking Twitter account. They claim 20 are in Russia and 10 in China. “Prophet” said he is in India. “Zain” said he is in China. The two claimed to their actions were “good,” presumably because they highlighted internet security problems.
Another collective member the AP previously communicated with via direct message called himself “Ownz” and identified himself as a 19-year-old in London. He told the AP that the group — or at least he — sought only to expose security vulnerabilities.
During the attack on the ESPN site, “Ownz” was asked if the collective made any demands on sites it attacked, such as demanding blackmail money. “We will make one demand actually. Secure your website and get better servers, otherwise be attacked again,” he said.
THE VULNERABLE INTERNET
For James Norton, the former deputy secretary at the Department of Homeland Security who now teaches on cybersecurity policy at Johns Hopkins University, the incident was an example of how attacks on key junctures in the network can yield massive disruption.
“I think you can see how fragile the internet network actually is,” he said.
Dyn officials said attacks stemmed from tens of millions of devices connected to the internet — closed-circuit video cameras, digital video recorders and even thermostats — that were infected with malware.
“The Internet of Things sort of ran way ahead of how the Internet was architected,” Dyn’s York said on a call with reporters. He said there are between 10-15 billion such devices online.
Dyn first became aware of an attack around 7:00 a.m. local time, focused on data centers on the East Coast of the U.S. Services were restored about two hours later. But then attackers shifted to offshore data centers, and problems continue.
“It is a very smart attack. As we start to mitigate they react and start to throw something that’s over the top,” York said on a call with reporters.
The second attack broadened its net, affecting the U.S. West Coast. “Prophet” of New World Hackers said hacktivists of the broad, more amorphous Anonymous collective piled on in the third wave on Friday afternoon.
“We’ve stopped all our attacks,” he said at midafternoon. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was monitoring the situation, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters Friday. He said he had no information about who may be behind the disruption.
Security experts have recently expressed concern over increasing power of denial-of-service attacks following high-profile electronic assaults against investigative journalist Brian Krebs and French internet service provider OVH .
In a widely shared essay titled “Someone Is Learning How to Take Down the Internet,” respected security expert Bruce Schneier said last month that major internet infrastructure companies were seeing a series of worrying denial-of-service attacks.
“Someone is extensively testing the core defensive capabilities of the companies that provide critical internet services,” he said.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.) |
It was clear after the non-conference season that the Pac-12 is much improved this year and after seeing the first week of conference play, it looks like it is likely going to be a very exciting season. We've already got a classic and controversial game between Arizona and Colorado, and a surging UCLA along with a field of teams that looks very balanced, but also experienced, talented and solid.
It will probably be a couple of weeks before we can get a true picture of which teams will compete for the Pac-12 championship and the NCAA Tournament, but there is no doubt that there is some rejuvenation in the conference.
Game of the Week
Arizona 92 Colorado 83 OT
Arguably the two top teams in the conference coming out of non-conference play faced off in what could be the game of the year in the conference on the opening Thursday slate of games. Sabatino Chen's "buzzer beater" at the end of regulation that was ultimately waved off will assuredly be complained about by Colorado fans all year and for good reason as it looked like there is a good chance that he got it off just in time. However, Colorado had a chance to win it in overtime and simply got overwhelmed by the Wildcats who on top of all the late madness, rallied from a 17-point deficit earlier in the game.
The teams meet up again in Boulder on February 14 in what should be one of the most anticipated conference games of the season.
Player of the Week and Freshman Player of the Week
Shabazz Muhammad G-F UCLA
Muhammad is looking more and more like the top NBA Draft pick player that everyone said he was coming out of high school. Muhammad put up 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the Bruins win over Stanford on Saturday and scored 16 points and grabbed 6 rebounds against Cal on Thursday. The Bruins will definitely be a force to contend with in the conference if he can keep playing like he did this week and improving.
Most Impressive
Arizona State - Many thought that the Sun Devils would be the weakest team in the conference going into the season, but they may have shown that their solid non-conference showing wasn't a fluke as they took care of Utah and Colorado much easier than Arizona did.
Least Impressive
Arizona - Sure, getting a sweep is always good, but the Wildcats are supposed to be a Top 5 team right now and yet barely got by Colorado (Whose rep suffered after their loss to ASU) and Utah at home.
Week 1 Power Rankings
1. Arizona 14-0 (2-0) Beat Colorado and Utah - It was as about as shaky a of a 2-0 week as a team can have in the conference as the Wildcats luckily squeaked by Colorado and then one a very tight game against Utah.
2. UCLA 12-3 (2-0) Beat Cal and Stanford - Everyone in the conference is going to have a very tough time contending with Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson if they can keep playing well together.
3. Oregon 12-2 (1-0) Won at Oregon State - It's beginning to look like the Ducks might be back and a win in Corvallis helps that.
4. Arizona State 13-2(2-0) Beat Utah and Colorado - Can Herb Sendek pull out a good season when he absolutely needs it the most?
5. Washington 9-5 (1-0) Won at Washington State - The Huskies yet again need a very strong conference season to bounce back from a frustrating non-conference slate and got off to a good start with a tough win in Pullman.
6. Cal 9-5 (1-1) Won at USC and lost at UCLA - A split in LA is a good way for the Bears to start the season.
7. USC 6-9 (1-1) Beat Stanford and lost to Cal - The Trojans win over Stanford was much needed after a brutal non-conference slate, but can they pull themselves out of the cellar the rest of the way?
8. Colorado 10-4 (0-2) Lost at Arizona and Arizona State - Hopefully the Buffs can bounce back from their controversial and heartbreaking loss to Arizona. Was shocked that they weren't able to win in Tempe.
9. Washington State 9-5 (0-1) Lost to Washington - The Cougars and Ken Bone desperately needed to beat the Huskies in Pullman but fell just short.
10. Oregon State 10-4 (0-1) Lost to Oregon - The Ducks appear to be headed upwards while the Beavers stay near the bottom of the conference.
11. Stanford 9-6 (0-2) Lost at USC and UCLA - A split can be tough to get in LA and the Cardinal almost got the win over the Trojans. However, starting 0-2 in conference starts a hole.
12. Utah 8-6 (0-2) Lost at Arizona State and Arizona - The Utes almost beat Arizona and Jason Washburn looks like he could have a big year. They will sneak up on a couple teams before the season is over. |
PARIS — Satellite owners and insurance underwriters who have booked or insured launches aboard Russia’s Proton rocket in the coming months have little choice but to stick with the rocket despite the fact that the vehicle’s May 16 failure was its fourth since mid-2012.
Russia’s Roscosmos space agency on May 29 issued its preliminary report on what caused the crash, which the agency said originated in the rocket’s third stage engine and was partly due to the collapse of a turbopump under the stress of high temperatures.
Roscosmos gave no date for a Proton return to flight, and its brief statement did not say whether the turbopump’s components for the May 16 flight differed from those used in previous Proton missions. The vehicle has been flying since the 1960s.
Roscosmos said “inconsistencies in the quality-control system” also played a role in the failure and would be reinforced.
The failure destroyed the Mexican government’s Centenario mobile communications satellite. The Mexican government, in what now looks like a prescient move, took the unusual step of purchasing full insurance coverage for the launch — $300 million for the Boeing-built satellite and $90 million for the Proton launch. Most governments do not insure noncommercial launches.
The $390 million insurance payout will not, by itself, cause satellite insurance premium rates to rise. Insurers dropped the all-for-one, one-for-all practice of spreading premium risk among the major commercial launchers.
Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket and U.S.-based SpaceX’s Falcon 9 vehicle have benefited from substantially lower premium rates in the past couple of years.
But while Ariane 5 and Falcon 9 both have won the confidence of commercial fleet operators and insurance underwriters, the biggest fleet operators have always said they need at least three credible vehicles in the commercial rotation in case one goes down for months.
Whether Proton can retain its position as the third vehicle may depend on whether its manufacturer, Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center of Moscow, agrees to cut prices dramatically, industry officials said.
International Launch Services of Reston, Virginia, which markets Proton commercially, already had been lowering prices to compensate for customers’ higher insurance premiums.
Two industry officials said ILS in recent months had been cutting prices still further to take advantage of the Russian ruble’s decline against the U.S. dollar in an attempt to put Proton back into the commercial rotation with Ariane 5 and Falcon 9.
To date, that has not met with much success, and the May 16 failure will not help matters.
But ILS has a list of customers whose launches already had been delayed because of Proton failures on Russian government missions in 2013 and 2014, and while some of them might wish to switch rockets, doing so would cost them additional months of delay. The Ariane 5 and Falcon 9 manifests are full through 2016 and into 2017.
Insurance underwriters likewise have little maneuvering room. These companies committed to premium rates and coverage levels for the upcoming missions at least two years ago, in some cases longer. To cancel a policy at this point would mean demonstrating that Proton launches now have a materially greater risk of failure than was the case at the time the coverage was written.
“There is no new risk in Proton — that’s part of the problem,” one insurance official said of the latest failure. “This is not a new rocket with a design defect. This is a rocket that fails from time to time because of quality control problems. There is nothing new. The only way an underwriter can cancel the policy is if the launch occurs after the coverage is scheduled to expire, typically three years after it was written. Given the accumulation of Proton delays, that might be true for some at this point, but not for many.”
Mexican government officials said after the launch that the failure would not be so costly for their program as long as the identical Morelos-3 satellite, set for launch this fall aboard a Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 rocket, is successful.
The government did not immediately indicate whether it would order a Centenario replacement from El Segundo, California-based Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems.
Mobile satellite services provider Inmarsat of London is scheduled to be the first post-failure launch on Proton with its third Global Xpress Ka-band satellite, ILS said. Given the Russian government’s recent history, the return-to-flight launch could occur as early as July.
In a decision that raised eyebrows at the time, Inmarsat chose Proton to launch all three of its Global Xpress satellites, benefiting from a bulk discount that the company said overrode the usual risk-diversification concerns.
Since it committed to Proton, Inmarsat has been dodging failures and the accumulated delays like someone skiing down a particularly complicated slope. The company ultimately elected to order a fourth Global Xpress satellite from Boeing to be able to rebound from a launch failure quickly.
Inmarsat needs three Global Xpress satellites in orbit to offer seamless global coverage, except for the polar regions, and has told investors that no substantial Global Xpress revenue will flow until three spacecraft are in service. Inmarsat has insured each Global Xpress launch for more than $300 million.
Inmarsat Chief Executive Rupert Pearce on May 18 issued a statement that did little to hide the company’s frustration.
“This incident involving a failed Proton launch … is extremely unfortunate and will inevitably delay our launch plans for our third Global Xpress satellite,” he said. “This is the third time our Global Xpress program has suffered launch delays because of Proton launch failures.”
Other ILS customers will be making their own calculations about the ripple effects on their satellites of another Proton delay. Turkey’s Turksat 4B and Paris-based Eutelsat’s 9B and 36C satellites were all scheduled for launches this year, as was Russia’s biggest telecommunications satellite operator, Russian Satellite Communications Co. of Moscow, whose business has suffered more damage from Proton failures than any other operator. The company had planned to launch its Express-AM8 satellite this autumn.
The European Space Agency, meanwhile, is counting on a late-January Proton launch of the Euro-Russian ExoMars telecommunications relay and lander, the first of two Proton-launched missions for ExoMars. The second is in 2018. Neither launch can be moved without surrendering a window that, for Mars missions, opens once every two years. |
“The measure of a man is what he does with power.” – Plato
The National Grid does not serve our nation.
The UK’s electricity network is not designed for the 21st century. It is certainly not designed to be able to best exploit the resources we will want to be using in the post-oil age.
The basic premise of the national grid is that until now we have run a centralised system with near-zero storage. Power is generated at a comparative few power stations and distributed to where it is needed.
To minimise infrastructure costs and transmission losses, this led to a system whereby the National Grid (the operator) levies charges for connecting to the national grid (the infrastructure) based, in principle, on distance from “population centres”.
Except what this actually means is distance from London. As shown below, if you want to connect a 1MW generator to the UK grid you’ll be paid over £5,000 per year to do so. Connect the same generator in Caithness and you’ll have to PAY £25,420 for the privilege.
Top: Regional map of National Grid Connection Tariffs for 2013/14.
Bottom: 2015/16 figures, Source: here.
Except that it’s not even simply a matter of “distance from London”. Connect your generator at Penzance, 412km from the centre of London and you’ll be paid £5.8 per kW/yr but connect it in Gretna, 435km from London, and you’ll be paying £13.37 per kW/yr.
What all this means is that any attempt by Scotland to contribute to the national grid is hampered from the beginning. The logic of the past, such that it was, was based on a system of centralised power generation where the fuel (coal and oil then later gas and uranium) could be transported to where the power could most efficiently be generated. This logic no longer applies to a future where the generators must go to where the wind, the tide, the water and the sun are. It also no longer applies to a future which will rely on many decentralised generators scaling from household sized rooftop solar panels out to massive offshore wind farms which have the potential to outstrip Scotland’s oil wealth many times over.
A 2009 study by the EU found that the unrestricted technical potential of Scottish offshore wind (that is, if Scotland built an offshore wind turbine everywhere it was technically feasible to build one regardless of cost, navigation disruption, visual disruption or any other factor) then we could expect to generate somewhere in the region of 4,000 TWh of energy per year. For reference, between 1973 and 2015, the UK has extracted an average of 1,637,690 barrels of oil per day from the North Sea and surrounds (The 2015 average was around half of this long term average). Each barrel of oil contains a chemical energy content of 1.7MWh (not all oil is burned as fuel but some 85% currently is) so this implies an annual energy equivalent extraction of just a little over 1,000 TWh. Our offshore wind potential is four times larger than our entire oil output.
Add to this an potential of around 45 TWh per year worth of onshore wind, Anywhere between 5.5 TWh and 45 TWh per year from rooftop solar, 2.7 TWh per year from hydro, 16.5 TWh per year from tidal, 45 TWh per year from wave, 7.6 TWH per year from geothermal and perhaps another 7 TWh from other sources such as biomass.
Even excluding the vast offshore wind reserves, this all adds up to around at least 130 TWh per year which just in and of itself almost meets the 2013 total Scottish energy demand of 144 TWh which itself excludes further savings which could come by reducing our demand for things like heat for our homes (theoretical reductions of up to 60 TWh per year if every building in Scotland was replaced with a passively heated one) or other initiatives such as capturing and harnessing waste heat from our industries (a potential source of up to 35 TWh per year)
So in terms of sheer capacity, Scotland is bathed in potential, far more than we could reasonably use and perhaps even far more than we could reasonably export (The total energy use of the entire EU is somewhere in the region of 12,000 TWh per year).
Which brings us back to the national grid.
If Scotland were to transfigure to a completely renewable electric society, as the Scottish Government clearly wants to be able to do, and was to connect the required 144 TWh worth of electricity to the UK grid then at current fees it would cost us some £333 million per year (which would be added to our utility bills). As stated at the beginning, we can’t move the wind and sun to the generators the way we could coal and gas so Scotland is quite simply being discriminated against by this charging regime.
In fact, let’s take a moment to dispel something. This idea of there being one national electrical distribution grid stretching right across the UK and that Scotland would need to do some drastic upgrading in the event of independence was one of the Great Unchallenged Lies of the 2014 No campaign. There isn’t one distribution grid across the UK. There isn’t even one across the island of Great Britain. There isn’t even one electrical distribution grid covering all of Scotland!
The UK Electricity Distribution (local and regional grids) and Transmission (high voltage, long range) grids. Source here.
The first step towards realising our renewable potential will lie in taking back control of the grids in Scotland. The situation of our being economically penalised by the grid connection fees as well as the lack of ability to take this chance to reconfigure our grid from the 19th century mass generation model to one fit for the 21st century largely stems from our willingness to leave ownership and responsibility for the running of our electrical supply to “the market”. The UK is just about the only country in Europe which doesn’t contemplate state ownership of its own electrical infrastructure (except, of course, if it’s not OUR state doing the owning. Having France and China build our power stations is just fine).
A few years ago, Common Weal published a paper on the potential for Scotland to take back control of our infrastructure (it wouldn’t cost us any more to do so than it does to leave it where it is) as well as the potential for using national borrowing to finance the expansion using cheap government bonds which are far lower than commercial bank rates and tiny compared to the return on investment on wind and solar projects.
And cost will be a major factor in this transition (that is, what it will cost us if we don’t make that transition.
If you had asked someone five years ago the question “In 2025, what will be the three cheapest ways to make electricity” they would have answered “onshore wind, natural gas and nuclear”. You would have then been reasonably well founded in building a policy based on new nuclear plants and fracking, assuming you were fine with continuing to ignore the climate, pollution and other economic issues.
Ask the question again today and your top three would be “onshore wind, solar and offshore wind”. Anyone still backing Ineos, the Atlantic Margin or Hinkley Point C as the saviours of our energy supply have already lost that argument to sheer economics before any of those projects even begin.
So we’ve fixed generation and we’ve fixed the infrastructure, we can just go ahead and start the conversion, can’t we?
Not quite. The raw numbers are suggestive but there are still a couple of problems to be tackled in a 100% renewable Scotland. Part 2 will show what it looks like to move to more intermittent energy sources than we’re used to and what role energy storage can play in all of this.
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SCOTLAND’s biggest music festival has been forced to relocate from the airfield which has hosted the event for the past 17 years over safety fears about a pipeline running under the site.
A new location for the event will be unveiled today by organisers, five months after it emerged the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had demanded a permanent move away from its home at Balado, near Kinross.
Promoters DF Concerts had pledged to relocate the three-day event as part of its licensing conditions for this year’s festival, following repeated concerns about the risks of an explosion.
Sites in Stirling, Edinburgh and Loch Lomond have been touted as possible alternatives.
However, keeping the event in the Perth and Kinross area is understood to have been
the favoured option, because of its central location close to the motorway network and easy links to both Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The organisers had been reluctant to move the event, which had its site reconfigured to try to appease the HSE, from Balado.
Other options in the Perth & Kinross area are thought to have included Braco Farm and Strathallan Airfield.
The organisers of the festival were remaining tight-lipped ahead of a press conference at a “secret location”, due to be held at lunchtime today.
This year’s event – which will be headlined by Arctic Monkeys, Calvin Harris and Biffy Clyro – will be the biggest in its history, after being given permission to run until 1am for the first time, as well as starting on a Friday lunchtime for the first time.
However, sources close to the event said the safety restrictions had proved an annual headache which would hamper any future growth of the event, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
One insider said: “Everything possible was done to stay on the existing site, as it was perfect for the festival’s needs in the past, but it has not been possible to overcome the concerns from the Health and Safety Executive.
“The issue over the pipeline was going to continue in future years and it has been a case of trying to find a more suitable site that ticks all the right boxes.
“Location has obviously been a crucial factor because of the size of the event and the huge amount of infrastructure the event now involves.”
T in the Park, sponsored by brewing giants Tennent’s, was launched at Strathclyde Country Park in Lanarkshire in 1994, but had to move three years later when it emerged the site was to be redeveloped. The event has grown since then, becoming a three-day festival in 2007.
However, the HSE has “consistently advised” against granting the event planning permission in recent years because of the risks linked to BP’s Forties pipeline, which runs underneath the site.
Alistair McNab, director of the HSE in Scotland, added: “The likelihood of any major accident at the pipeline is low, but if one were to occur, the consequences would be catastrophic.” |
Some of them make rattling and popping noises, while others creak when heavily loaded and have rust-colored age marks. They may be old, but many are deeply cherished. New ones can still be purchased, but not for much longer, because the days of the Volkswagen Bus are numbered in Brazil, the only place the company still produces the vehicle.
Businessman Ademir Cardona, 47, gently runs his hand across a model from the 1970s. "If no one wanted them anymore, well, I'd understand that," he says. "But people are beating a path to my door to get her."
The VW Bus is feminine in Brazil, where the model, known as the "Bulli" in Germany, is called the "A Kombi." There have long been rumors about its imminent demise, but now it's official. In December, the last VW Type 2 Bus, considered a classic the world over, will roll off the line in São Paulo. That's because the vehicle is no longer up-to-date, now that Brazil will require all new cars to have anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and airbags starting in 2014. These features are simply not feasible in the 56-year-old model, VW engineers say.
"Nonsense," says Cardona. "With a little good will, they could do it." He has already installed power steering, power windows, reclining seats and air-conditioning in his VW Buses, all features the inventors never envisioned. Cardona operates a company called Cia das Kombis in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. He has 34 vehicles in his inventory, all available for purchase or rent.
The business is going well and Cardona had planned to expand, but now he's worried about the future. "It's becoming more difficult to get parts," he says. "VW is carrying the only real people's car to its grave."
'Adapted Technology on Wheels'
The first VW Buses were assembled in a large building near São Paulo in 1953. Four years later, Volkswagen do Brasil began series production. Hardly any other vehicle in the world has been manufactured for so long. In Brazil, the VW Bus represented an astonishingly successful marriage of German engineering and the Brazilian lifestyle. More than 1.5 million have been produced in the country, where the VW Bus is the bread-and-butter vehicle for several generations of small businesses. A new bus costs 47,000 real, or about 15,000 ($19,700), making it the most inexpensive minibus on the market.
VW Buses are ubiquitous at weekly markets and on construction sites, and they often double as mobile kiosks, ambulances and even hearses. In Rio de Janeiro, overloaded VW Buses travel up and down the hills of the city's shantytowns known as favelas, and in the Amazon region they are used to transport tourists along muddy roads and bring the indigenous people back to their villages. When a VW bus breaks down, any village mechanic with a wrench knows how to get it back on the road.
"The VW Bus is adapted technology on wheels," says Cardona. Like millions of Brazilians, he too owes his career as a businessman to the VW Bus. Twenty years ago, Cardona bought three used buses from a brewery. He sold one for a profit and rented the other two. Today his company has a reputation beyond Porto Alegre's city limits.
A customer recently had a 1966 VW Bus restored to look like the one her father once had. "During the day, he used the bus to deliver wood for parquet flooring, and at night he and his family slept in it," says Cardona.
A Fancy 'Last Edition'
Over the decades, Volkswagen has periodically made minor updates to the popular vehicle. Lights were installed to replace the old flip-out turn signals, which would occasionally hit pedestrians in the face when they popped out of the side of the vehicle. For a few years, the VW Bus wasn't just available with the legendary air-cooled boxer engine, but also as a diesel. However, the model wasn't well-engineered and was quickly taken off the market.
When new emissions regulations came into effect, VW installed a water-cooled engine. Since then, a black radiator grill has marred the classic front. But the change didn't hurt its popularity. This year alone, more than 13,000 VW Buses have been built, most of them assembled by hand. But customers don't have much to choose from. In Brazil, the VW Bus is only available as either a 9-seater or a delivery van. And it only comes in one color: white.
As a farewell gesture, VW will produce a final series of the bus in its former glory. The "Last Edition" commemorative series, consisting of only 600 buses, will be wearing the "skirt and blouse," as the Brazilians call the legendary luxury version from the 1960s and 70s. The model will even have curtains on the windows, and the only concession to modernity is an MP3 radio with a USB port. VW will charge 85,000 real, or about 27,000 for the collector's edition.
There is no successor to the VW Bus in sight. Volkswagen has no vehicle in its lineup that could even approach the Bus in terms of space and pricing. For this reason, anyone who owns a VW Bus today, says Cardona, should be paying attention, because prices for used models are on the rise. |
Most of the things I do on a day to day basis are in relation to building websites and looking at ways to code interesting online actions – one thing I’m interested in however is the idea of the internet of things – smart, connected objects that bridge the gap between the online and actual world. Perhaps one day I’ll even find an ecampaigning application for this.
I just had a go connecting up a Nerdkit with the Raspberry Pi. Nerdkits are similar in some ways to the Arduino boards, although they’re a bit more hands on. Whereas the Arduino is nicely assembled and can be just plugged into a USB port, the Nerdkit comes as a pile of parts, a bit of breadboard and some instructions. What’s exciting about Nerdkits, Arduinos and microcontrollers (MCUs) in general is that they provide a flexible, re-programmable set of ‘brains’ with lots of interesting uses. Think of them as lego for electronics.
The ultra cheap Raspberry Pi makes a nice partner to the Nerdkit, as I’m still slightly nervous about attaching something I’ve put together myself to my shiny Mac. Along with the instructions come a set of makefiles which you compile and upload to the MCU via the USB to serial adapter.
The Nerdkit is based around an Atmel AVR ATmega168 microcontroller which has it’s own bootloader. Also included are the crystal, various resistors, voltage regulators and a variety of input sensors and output electronics. Putting the whole thing together is very satisfying and has given me a bit more insight into how microcontroller based kits work (and what all the bits on the Arduino board do). One really nice additional feature of the Nerdkit is the lcd display panel, which provides feedback in the form of messages, poetry or temperature readouts – depending on what you program it to do. The example below shows it running as a thermometer (one of the included tutorials). Mounting the whole thing on a bit of board is highly recommended.
Installing the software as in the user guide works fine -it’s all done in the command line, so there’s no Java based application to worry about –
sudo apt-get install avrdude sudo apt-get install gcc-avr sudo apt-get install avr-libc
You can edit the makefiles using Leafpad which is part of the default Raspbian operating system. Connecting the Nerdkit cable to the Pi’s USB port presented no problems either.
I did however run into a small snag – although programs would compile and upload successfully, the display on the Nerdkit was showing just on the top line:
A quick hunt through the forums later and I came across the fix – open the Makefile (in the example above it’s the one in the tempsensor directory and the one in the libnerdkit directory), look for the GCCFLAGS line and change the “-Os” flag to “-O0” (letter O, number 0). Then delete the .hex and .o files in both the directory your Makefile is in and the libnerdkit directory. That last bit is vital, I kept missing it.
Then it should work fine:
So there you go – my first steps in getting my Raspberry Pi to do a bit more than web surfing. I thought I’d highlight that the Raspberry Pi and Nerdkit work together happily, in case anyone else wants to try it out.
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Hello everyone! I'm happy to announce my 3rd e-book called Perl One-Liners Explained. This book is based on the Perl One-Liners Explained article series that I wrote over the last 3 years and that has been read over 1,000,000 times!
I went through all the one-liners in the article series, improved explanations, fixed mistakes and typos, added a bunch of new one-liners, added an introduction to Perl one-liners and a new chapter on Perl's special variables.
Table of Contents
The e-book explains 130 unique one-liners. Many of one-liners are presented in several different ways so the total number of one-liners in the book is over 200.
The e-book is divided into the following chapters:
Preface.
1. Introduction to Perl One-Liners.
2. Spacing.
3. Numbering.
4. Calculations
5. String Creation and Array Creation.
6. Text Conversion and Substitution.
7. Selective Printing and Deleting of Lines.
8. Handy Regular Expressions.
9. perl1line.txt
Appendix A. Perl's Special Variables.
Index.
What are Perl One-Liners?
Perl one-liners are small and awesome Perl programs that fit in a single line of code and they do one thing really well. These things include changing line spacing, numbering lines, doing calculations, converting and substituting text, deleting and printing certain lines, parsing logs, editing files in-place, doing statistics, carrying out system administration tasks, updating a bunch of files at once, and many more.
Let's take a look at several practical examples that you can easily do with one-liners. All these examples and many more are explained in the e-book.
I have also made the first chapter of the book, Introduction to Perl One-Liners, freely available. Please download the e-book preview to read it.
Example 1: Replace a string in multiple files at once
perl -p -i.bak -e 's/Config/config/g' conf1 conf2 conf3
Suppose you have 3 configuration files, and you discover that you made a mistake and need to replace all occurrences of Config with config . This one-liner does just that. It executes the s/Config/config/g that replaces all occurrences of Config with config on all lines. And since you're smart about it, you always do -i.bak to make backup files in case something goes wrong.
I explain the -i , -p , and -e arguments in the e-book in great detail.
Example 2: Generate a random 8 character password
perl -le 'print map { ("a".."z")[rand 26] } 1..8'
This one-liner generates and prints a random 8 character password. It uses the list range operator .. operator to produce all strings from "a" to "z" , which is the alphabet. Then a random letter is chosen by rand 26 and this operation is repeated 8 times.
Example 3: URL-escape a string
perl -MURI::Escape -lne 'print uri_escape($string)'
Here we use the URI::Escape module from CPAN. It exports the uri_escape function that does URL-escaping.
You can install this module from CPAN by running perl -MCPAN -e'install URI::Escape' on the command line.
I have this one-liner as an alias actually for both URL-escaping and unescaping URL-escaping as it's such a common thing to do:
urlescape () { perl -MURI::Escape -lne 'print uri_escape($_)' <<< "$1" } urlunescape () { perl -MURI::Escape -lne 'print uri_unescape($_)' <<< "$1"; }
Then I can do this in the shell:
$ urlescape "https://catonmat.net" https%3A%2F%2Fcatonmat.net $ urlunescape https%3A%2F%2Fcatonmat.net https://catonmat.net
Very useful!
Example 4: Print all lines from line 17 to line 30
perl -ne 'print if 17..30'
Here we use the binary flip-flop operator .. that becomes true when the input line number is 17, stays true while the line number is less than or equal to 30, and then becomes false. Combining the flip-flop operator with print if makes it print only lines 17-30.
Example 5: Remove all consecutive blank lines, leaving just one
perl -00pe0
I included this one-liner here in the examples just to show you how funny and obscure one-liners can get. This one-liner deletes all repeated blank lines from the input or from the given file. It does it by enabling the paragraph slurp mode through -00 command line argument, which reads the input paragraph-by-paragraph, rather than line-by-line, and prints the paragraphs. This way any number of blank lines between the paragraphs get ignored.
I explain this one-liner in more details in the e-book.
As I hope you can see, knowing how to write one-liners is very useful. It was one of my top priority tasks through the years to become very efficient in the shell. Literally every day when I'm programming, I have to do all kinds of data processing tasks, changing files, verifying output, doing quick calculations, parsing data, etc, and knowing Perl one-liners makes it really fast to get things done.
Now that I have written this e-book, you can become very efficient, too. Enjoy!
Book Preview
I prepared a free book preview that contains the first 13 pages of the book. It includes the table of contents, preface, introduction to Perl one-liners and the first page of the second chapter.
Buy it now!
The price of the e-book is $19.99 and it can be purchased via PayPal:
After you have made the payment, my automated e-book processing system will send you the PDF e-book in a few minutes!
Tweet about my book!
Help me spread the word about my new book. I prepared a special link that you can use to tweet about it.
What's next?
I really love writing about programming and I have planned writing many more books. The next few are going to be a book on mastering vim, a practical guide on how to be anonymous on the web, and the catonmat book.
Enjoy!
Enjoy the book and let me know how you liked it.
Also if you're interested, take a look at my other two e-books. The 1st one is called "Awk One-Liners Explained" and the 2nd one is called "Sed One-Liners Explained" They're written in a similar style as this e-book and they teach practical Awk and Sed through many examples.
Finally, if you enjoy my writing, you can subscribe to my blog, follow me on Twitter or Google+. |
Last weekend of the 16th & 17th September I decided to take a break; just like KitKat always tell you to. My dad lives on the coastal side of Kent, in a small town called Broadstairs.
For all you outside-UK folk, it’s around 2 hours East of London. But for a relatively short journey it seemed like a lifetime away.
Even though I have produced blog posts on relieving your own pressure, not chasing an idea of perfection and accepting yourself for who you are; in reality I still have my own demons where I question myself for days on end and hit lulls of frustration, insecurity and struggle.
via GIPHY
There are only so many times you can tell yourself to ‘snap out of it’. There are only so many times you can tell your friends and family you are going through the same thing you did 2 months ago. There are only so many times you sweep it all under the rug and put on a brave face. 2 weeks ago I was on the fence about making a huge decision that will change my life completely for at least the next couple of years – and I decided I needed a clear head to do so.
As soon as I hit the road Friday morning and hit play on my just-downloaded ‘Driving Songs’ album from iTunes, I felt a sense of excitement beginning to form in the pit of my stomach. As I hit the Dartford Bridge (a bridge which quite literally feels like a magical portal of enlightenment) it transported me from the grey, concrete and chaotic view of London straight into what felt like a new world. I smiled to myself and sung my little, lonely heart out.
*cut scene*
It is So God Damn Easy to get lost in this beautiful built-up world we live in. Whether you are in the corporate, creative or even cat industry, I am 99.9% sure that we have all had at least one moment where we say; STOP THE WORLD I WANT TO GET OFF.
via GIPHY
My life is absolute chaos. On a Sunday evening my upcoming week could be empty, then 48 hours later I would be heading to my 4th job or 6th appointment with a rapidly filling diary for the rest.
I hardly get a moment to myself, let alone time to reflect on any big life decisions. On a Sunday, someone will ask me what I’ve been up to that week and I will have literally forgotten – as if it all had been erased from my brain like I was starring in the newest Men in Black movie.
And this is exactly why I needed to get away. I couldn’t possibly go through any form of important decision-making while trying to wade through a cluttered, foggy and slightly negative lifestyle.
*Back to Car*
The further I was driving, the flatter the horizon became. It wasn’t until I was halfway through belting a chorus of Mustang Sally did I see that glorious blue in the distance..
The Sea!
Now, Uk beaches aren’t exactly your perfect postcard pictures you see on the latest travel blogs, nor are they featured on Instagram for #TravelGoals – BUT there is a certain character to an English beach you just cannot find anywhere else.
I squealed in delight like the typical Pisces I am – if you believe in all that sort of thing.
via GIPHY
Obviously we can’t all drop all our s**t and just run off to an English seaside whenever we’re feeling a bit caught up in the web of adult life – but I’d left my self-help pushed to the side for so long I desperately NEEDED this.
*cut scene*
An easy peasy lemon squeezy trick I like to use when the world gets too much is silence. Pure and utter silence.
That kind of silence that actually makes you feel a bit weird after a few seconds, because us city-folk aren’t used to it. Because most of the time, even in the coldest, darkest, deepest part of the night – there’s always SOMETHING. A lonesome car driving in the distance, the dull buzz of the street lamp or a group of high-pitched drunken lasses making their way home after their girls night out.
Over the years I’ve almost taught myself how to block out them distracting noises.
The ticking clock, the running laptop, the nagging boyfriend…lol
If you have an overly complicated or continuously running brain like I do – silence can help simplify everything. It’s as if my thoughts are bundled into a disgusting hairball and the silence just conditions and combs them all into a silky smooth finish.
I thought I knew silence. I really thought I did. That was until I was sailing down a river boat in Kent and listening to absolutely NOTHING
*Cut to Saturday*
A lovely local man named Paul took myself, my Dad and his girlfriend out on a private river tour upstream, spotting Kingfishers and wading through the weeds. 15 minutes in, he halted the engine of the boat and egged us to listen…
So I listened…
I heard nothing
Absolutely nothing
Nobody said a word
Heck, I didn’t even get my phone out to capture the moment
I couldn’t. I wouldn’t disturb it
I didn’t move a muscle
Silence
My ears felt like they had closed up, my eyes fixated on the water ahead.
I couldn’t comprehend how a simple moment of silence could mute all the noise in your mind
Suddenly, the engine was on again and along we sailed. Don’t get me wrong, the peace of the surroundings was still very pleasant, but nothing will compare to what I’d just experienced.
It was at that moment that I realised that I was just myself. I had no ties to anyone or anything. My trapped and tied spirit had finally awakened after days and months of being tortured, beaten and hidden away in a dungeon. I could either sit around and continue on a straight track of one level, never gaining speed or gradient – just like this river!
Or I could take the unstable ledge just above my eye-line and hoist myself up into a new beginning and new chapter of my life.
After ploughing through this industry of ‘The Arts’ for 5 long professional years I knew it was time. Time for a change. Other wise I KNEW I would give it all up.
I could see it coming and it was a vision I only wanted to keep in my nightmares.
This industry can chew you up and spit you back out at any given moment. It can shame you and humiliate you in sneaky and sly ways you never thought possible. It can also treat you with the ultimate highs as if you were dancing with the hippies at Glastonbury. Whatever I was feeling was not going to be resolved here. But that mini seaside trip did give me a huge shove to the other side of the fence.
48 hours later, I booked a one-way ticket to Auckland, New Zealand for the 31st January 2018. A plan to see my family there first, then head over to settle in Sydney, Australia until further notice.
via GIPHY
I decided to write this blog post because I’m not so good at announcing things face to face. I consider myself a mediocre writer, and that’s way easier for me.
It also gives me a bit of a sneaky insight as to who reads my posts.
The intention here isn’t for you to read this post and think that I’ve given up on life and moved to the other side of the world to escape!
Because I will still do what I love. I will go to acting workshops and dance classes for my own routine and love for performing.
But it will be for me – and nobody else.
That is the beauty of it – that is what I have slowly lost over the last 5 years.
I will also continue with this blog. Something that has been my saving grace this year and also an aid for others – and that I will keep with me forever <3
If you’re ever feeling ‘on the fence’ about something, if you’re following your wildest dreams or seem to find yourself on an impossible road…
Release the pressure a little, clear your mind, and just RELAX
Stop rushing and competing with the rest of the world. When the person next to you takes two steps, just take one.
If an aggressive commuter barges past you to get on the tube just as the doors are closing – let them go. The fact they are now 2 minutes ahead of you doesn’t mean SHITE.
Life definitely IS too short, but with all the chaotic movement of the 21st Century trying to build a life for ourselves;
we forget to LIVE
Stay Beautiful <3
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Steven Moffat talks about the new series of Doctor Who
"The wait is almost over. The second part of the thrilling new series of Doctor Who begins on 27 August 2011.
"The rules have changed, and the game is deadlier than ever. Out in the universe, where the earthly rules of time and space do not apply, Amy and Rory know only too well that their baby daughter needs them. For Melody Pond is destined to become River Song, mysterious archaeologist and convicted murderer – the woman who killed the best man she ever knew...
"The Doctor leads Amy and Rory across centuries and galaxies in a desperate search for baby Melody, but a terrible and inescapable date looms large. At 5.02pm on 22nd April 2011, the Doctor will die. These are his last days, and the quest for Melody his final mission.
"The search will result in a crash landing in Thirties Berlin and will bring them face to face with the greatest war criminal of all time. And Hitler. Old friendships will be tested to their limits as the Doctor suffers the ultimate betrayal and learns a harsh lesson in the cruellest warfare of all.
"A distress call from a terrified little boy will break through all barriers of time and space and lead the Doctor to visit the scariest place in the Universe. George's bedroom. George is terrorised by every fear you can possibly imagine. Fears that live in his bedroom cupboard. His parents are desperate – George needs a doctor. But allaying George's fears won't be easy. Because the monsters in George's cupboard are real.
"An unscheduled visit to a quarantine facility for victims of an alien plague – a plague that will kill the Doctor in a day – leaves Amy trapped. Alone, Rory must find Amy and bring her back to the TARDIS before the faceless doctors kill her with kindness. But Rory is about to encounter a very different side to his wife.
"In an impossible hotel, the Doctor, Amy and Rory find themselves checked-in but unable to check out. Walls move, corridors twist, rooms vanish and death lies in wait for every visitor. But the Doctor's time has yet to come. He has one last stop to make on his final journey. His old friend, Craig Owens, desperately needs his help – a new and unfamiliar presence is wreaking havoc in Colchester. And then come the Cybermen. But time catches up with us all and the Doctor can delay no more.
"By the shores of Lake Silencio, in Utah, all of time and space hang in the balance. And a NASA astronaut is waiting..."
PPR |
CTVNews.ca
The Supreme Court of Canada is set to rule Friday, on whether Canadians with terminal illnesses or unbearable suffering should have the right to seek assistance to die.
Here's an overview of what's at stake:
What was the main issue before the court?
At the heart of the case is whether section 241 of the Criminal Code, which makes it a criminal offence to aid and abet or "counsel" another person to commit suicide, should stand.
The Carter v. Canada case began with a British Columbia woman who suffered from spinal stenosis and wished to end her illness with medical help. Kay Carter eventually travelled to Switzerland and ended her life there, where assisted suicide is allowed.
With the help of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, her family filed a lawsuit challenging the country's assisted suicide laws. Shortly after, terminally ill ALS patient Gloria Taylor asking to be added as a plaintiff. Taylor later died of an infection.
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association has continued the legal fight on both women's behalf, taking their cases to the Supreme Court. The high court has also heard from other right-to-die advocates, religious groups, groups representing the disabled, and those representing physicians. In all, 22 groups had their positions heard as official intervenors in the case.
What are the arguments on both sides?
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association argued before the Supreme Court in the fall that everyone should have the right to choose a dignified death and that the current laws inhibit the right of the terminally ill to die on their own terms. They also argued that suicide itself is not illegal, but the current law is unfair to terminally ill people who are disabled and do not have the means to take their own lives.
The federal government wants the court to uphold the law, arguing that all lives are valuable and need to be protected, and that the current law protects vulnerable people who may be coerced into terminating their lives.
What are the options before the court?
The justices could leave the law intact, but most don't see that option as likely. The court could also reinstate the original ruling and strike down the law and order it be amended to include provisions for those with terminal illnesses and sound mind who want to seek assistance to end their lives.
If they take the latter option, they would likely suspend their ruling to allow Parliament to write new laws on the issue, much as they did when they struck down Canada's prostitution laws.
The last time the issue of assisted suicide came before the courts, with the case of dying ALS patient Sue Roriguez in 1993, the court was deeply divided. Five of nine justices ruled in favour of maintaining the laws, but even the four judges who disagreed were divided as to why.
The only currently presiding judge who was on the panel in 1993, is Beverly McLachlin, the court's current chief justice. She dissented with the majority decision.
Won't the Supreme Court be repeating itself?
This case does effectively ask the court to revisit many the same fundamental questions that came up in 1993, but much has also changed in the last 20 years, and it appears the court agreed the issue was worth looking at again.
A major factor that appears to have changed is public opinion, with many recent polls suggesting the majority of Canadians are in favour of allowing doctor-assisted death. According to results of a survey commissioned by Dying With Dignity Canada and conducted by Ipsos Reid that were released last October, 84 per cent of Canadians support the right of a competent adult who is terminally ill, suffering unbearably and repeatedly asks for assistance to die to choose assisted death.
Since the Rodriguez case, there have been at least eight jurisdictions around the world that began allowing doctor-assisted suicide, including Belgium, the Netherlands, and the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. Lawyers representing right-to-die groups argue that in those jurisdictions, the laws are working, though others would disagree.
In addition, several people with terminal illnesses have come forward to speak about wanting to be able to choose a quick death. They include not only Taylor and Carter, but also Canada's Dr. Donald Low and Californian Brittany Maynard, who both had terminal brain tumours.
Finally, what's also new is that Quebec has forced the courts to look at the issue of jurisdiction on matters of end-of-life care. The province argues that assisted death is really a health-care issue that thus falls under provincial jurisdiction. It went ahead this summer, passing right-to-die legislation that is now being challenged in court. Friday's Supreme Court decision could help answer the question of whether euthanasia and assisted suicide areunder provincial or federal jurisdiction.
Will this ruling settle the issue?
In a word, no. Even if the court decides to leave the legislation exactly as is, the debate about how to respect the rights of patients will continue among health care providers and the groups that represent them. The Canadian Medical Association has already prepared draft proposals for a "medical aid in dying" program.
But if the court strikes down the legislation, the matter will drop into the laps of Parliament, which may then have to grapple with other issues, including how to allow assisted suicide in certain cases while also protecting those who may be vulnerable to abuses.
Even if there is new legislation brought forward, there is a good chance that it will be challenged in the courts again, as many predict will happen with Canada's new prostitution laws. |
When does Concepts ever get a sneaker collaboration wrong? Their partnerships with footwear brands are always epic and for their 2015 grand finale they are crossing the finish line with a racing-themed New Balance 998 silhouette.
The New Balance 998 "Grande Tourer" is inspired by the GT automobile and it’s duality of luxury and performance. The supple suede upper takes it’s cues from the European road maps that were used to navigate the cars while touring the country in comfort and style. A vibrant pop of red on the tongue and heel offsets the otherwise mellow feel of the greys and greens while a carbon fiber heel shank injects even more personality.
As with most Concepts collaborations you can expect to see these released in limited numbers with a special event attached.
On Dec. 26, Concepts NYC is launching this great-looking shoe with the help of Classic Cars Club, while on the West Coast, clothing store Period Correct will have vintage cars on display as well as the sneakers.
The limited-edition collaboration will be available for in-store purchase at both locations, beginning at 10AM EST and PST on Dec. 26 for $215. If you can't make it to either events, Concepts online store will have them at 12PM ET on Dec. 26.
Concepts |
Talks began with McKay in earnest on Friday but the director abruptly decided against taking the job. The decision is said to be his alone.
Scratch Adam McKay off the list of replacements for Ant-Man helmer Edgar Wright.
Negotiations began with McKay in earnest on Friday but the Anchorman director abruptly decided against taking the job on the film, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The decision is said to be his alone.
A director search had been underway to helm the Marvel superhero tentpole since Wright officially exited the project on May 23. The film is set to star Paul Rudd as the title hero.
STORY: THR's Summer Box-Office Forecast
We're the Millers director Rawson Marshall Thurber and Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer were also in contention along with McKay to get the directing job, THR had earlier reported.
Wright, the helmer behind Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, had shepherded the project for the studio. In a statement announcing his departure, Marvel stated that the "studio and director have parted ways on Ant-Man due to differences in their visions of the film."
Update: After the news broke, McKay commented on exiting talks to direct the project. |
My name is Tom Attah. I am Black British. You don’t see that on forms very often.
I was named after the Irishman – Thomas Larbey – who gave my mother and father a place to live in the late 60s whilst they studied medicine. Compassion and chance and tolerance from the United Kingdom are built into my name.
DAMNED RIGHT I am an Englishman. I’m never going to pass for white but I will always, ALWAYS pass for human. I have earned the right to call myself that down days of compassion and understanding and belonging and song. And if I will call myself human, English, European – then I have to – HAVE to – admit where my mistakes are, and to forgive people for making theirs.
That would be to forgive the 120,000 people in Yorkshire who voted BNP this week.
There’s a story about people who came on boats across the waters through the mist and fog because they heard tales of a land of opportunity, a place where they could make their names. They came on long journeys where many of them died, into a harsh climate that was NOTHING like their own, to a place where they were resisted and where they did not know the language – and where they had to fight to make their voices heard. But fight they did, and slowly but surely they integrated into the peoples and lands that they had come to so slowly and from so far away.
But enough about the central Europeans invading Roman Britain in the year 450. Enough about how England is named after a tribe of Germanic conquerors (the Anglii), from 1,550 years ago. This is about the BNP, so we need to skip forward almost 16 centuries to today.
I am Black English. I can tell you the names of every UK prime minister for the last 200 years. I don’t think that Nick Griffin can do the same thing.
What terrifies me most is that I understand. I know what the Barnsley BNP voters mean when they say they “…don’t know what they want,” I know where they are coming from when they say they don’t care who it is – just as long as someone claims to know who they are and what their pain is and how to cure it. It’s blues. Not racist blues, HUMAN blues.
Politics IS that simple and that serious.
But my understanding was bought at a high price.
Millions of my ancestors were displaced and murdered to buy my understanding. My forebears were beaten to death to give me my chances and my parents were abused in the streets to purchase my opportunities – so that now, when it is time for ME to understand and to forgive, when it is time for ME to share and to educate – I know how to do it. If I don’t stop the wheel of segregation and distrust and lies and ignorance from spinning then I have learned – WE have learned – nothing.
But I’m angry about this.
HOW DARE YOU Nick Griffin, lie to my people. HOW DARE YOU Nick Griffin, tell them that you are in this for them. HOW DARE YOU Nick Griffin, tell me that I have no right to be here. The only true indigenous peoples in the UK are the Welsh, and they are angry enough already. This nation was BUILT on immigration, invasion, inclusion and adaption.
My father fought so many battles to get into 2009 and now here we are thinking about the same old thing – a group of people feeling like they have been forgotten, who believe that they are jobless and who think that they have no rights.
The people who voted BNP think that they have been told the truth. Hell, on the streets of Barnsley the people didn’t even know the name of the BNP candidate they had voted for. My job is to tell people the truth. I play music, so that should be easy – anything that’s a lie sounds like dissonance, out of tune, discordant to me.
I know that the blues is a state of mind, not a style of music. The hard part is going to be telling people the truth, even though they don’t want to hear it. The truth is that everyone belongs. Some need it read to them, some need it played to them – but we all BELONG.
Musicians – please play it. Writers, please write it. Singers, please sing it. Artists, please paint and draw it – and everyone else – EVERYONE else – just show it and believe it and demonstrate it and let it shine out of you because you KNOW that it’s the truth. Tell everyone what you have told me, because we are friends, and we are friends for a REASON.
Me – I have some incredible and beautiful and talented people in my life. I am lucky like that. I play gigs so all I can do and WILL do for the next year or so is transmit the message above to the disenfranchised people or to those who didn’t vote this time round and tell them how important it is that they VOTE NEXT TIME – because if they don’t, shit like this happens.
The Barnsley people DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THE NAME OF THE PERSON THEY ELECTED. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8090322.stm) All they knew is that something – anything- had to better than what they have got now.
How do we explain to people about their potential? How do we show people that they are more empowered than they have ever, ever been?
I am open to suggestions. What do you think I can do – what do you think that WE can do to change all of this? It’ll be a slow process, but look at how far we have come, look at what we have at our disposal – if you are reading this, look at how easily we can talk to each other.
How do we take a message of understanding and inclusion – the message that I have learned and been taught for the last 36 years – to people who have forgotten it or never been taught that they belong in the world, not on an island?
But you know – it could be easier than I think. After all, everyone likes a curry and a bit of motown.
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DALLAS -- Doc Rivers is no stranger to going to bat for his players.
The Los Angeles Clippers coach called up his fellow coaches before they submitted their All-Star ballots earlier this season and made the case for DeAndre Jordan to be on the team.
Blake Griffin probably figures to finish, at best, No. 3 in the MVP race, so perhaps the Clippers should focus on supporting him for a different award. Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports
Jordan didn't make it, but that won't stop Rivers from banging the drum for several of his players to be considered for awards as the season winds down.
"I do like our guys receiving stuff that they deserve," Rivers said. "I always speak out for that. I'm not going to go on a publicity tour or go on Leno or Jimmy Fallon, but I think you guys know."
Rivers might not go on the talk-show circuit, but he has been pushing for Jordan to be considered for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award since training camp, has mentioned Jamal Crawford as a sixth man of the year candidate at various times this season and is never shy to say Blake Griffin deserves MVP consideration.
The Clippers, however, might need to refocus their campaign strategy. Like a political strategist looking at incoming polling data, they would be smart to pull out of precincts that are guaranteed to net them nothing.
Instead it might be time to make the case for Griffin winning the Most Improved Player of the Year award.
Obviously it's not as prestigious an award as MVP, but Griffin will be the first to admit he is probably a distant third behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant in that race.
Simply the fact that Griffin is currently the odds-on favorite to finish third in the MVP race should tell you how much he has improved. Griffin wasn't one of the 16 players to show up on MVP ballots last season and wasn't one of the 15 players to appear on MVP ballots the season before.
He wasn't even on the radar of MVP voters before, and now he's legitimately part of the conversation. While that might not be good enough to win the MVP, it should be good enough to validate him as the league's most improved player.
"He's having a monster year, statistically, and his team is winning at a high level," Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlise said. "Those are usually the two ingredients for being in that conversation. It's legit. It's legit. I don't think he'll win it, but I think him being in the conversation is legit."
The problem is the most improved player award has become a little bit like the coach of the year award. It doesn't necessarily go to the most improved player or the best coach but the player who wasn't thought much of having a breakout season or a coach who does the most with the least talent.
It could easily be argued that making the jump from, for example, the 18th best player to the third best is much harder to do than coming into the season without high expectations and responding with a career year on a non-contending team.
While Danny Granger, who was named the most improved player in 2009, says he thinks Griffin has improved across the board this season and established himself as one of the league's best players, he doesn't think the award should go to a player who has been an All-Star four straight seasons and has made the All-NBA second team the past two seasons.
"I think it's a stretch. He's been a consistently great player since he came into the league," Granger said. "He's one of the marquee players. You can't give him that award. He's made dramatic improvements this season, but he's always been such a talented player and he's just added different facets to his game now, which makes it even harder to guard him. He used to be just a dunker. Now he has added post moves and a jump shot. He's improved tremendously, but he was one of the best power forward in the league before. Now he's just the best."
On Thursday, the Clippers came back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Mavericks, 109-103. Griffin scored six points in the fourth quarter and scored the go-ahead basket with a driving finger roll layup with 39 seconds left. Griffin finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, snapping his franchise-record streak of 30 straight games of scoring 20 or more points, but it hardly mattered after the game.
Rivers was still glowing after the game about Griffin's defense on Dirk Nowitzki, who went 7-of-15 from the field and 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. Not only did Griffin defend, he ran a fast break and connected with Jordan on a lob dunk. And when it was time for the Clippers to get the go-ahead basket, Rivers called on Griffin.
"With Blake, we talk about all the other stuff, his offense and his passing. But Blake the last two games, especially his defense, has been off the charts," Rivers said. "We didn't help down the stretch and he guarded, to me, one of the best offensive players in the history of the game, and stayed with him and fought him. Dirk made some shots, but overall Blake was absolutely wonderful."
Of course, anything apart from Griffin's dunks and commercials will get lost in the mix when talking about his improved play this season. There usually isn't much room on the highlight reels for defensive stops, midrange jumpers or outlet passes in "Lob City."
"We're too busy showing his dunks," Rivers said. "If they show the game tonight, they'll show the dunks. They won't show his defense or his passing. Well, they will [show one pass] because he passed one to D.J., but that was for a dunk. He can do everything for you to help you win a basketball game, and tonight was a great example of that."
The biggest improvement Griffin has made offensively is in his midrange game. From 16-24 feet on the left side, Griffin is shooting 51.1 percent this season compared to 37 percent last season. From 16-24 feet in the center, he is shooting 43.5 percent this season compared to 30.9 percent last season.
"When he's making that, it's impossible to guard him," Carlisle said. "Because he can get that shot virtually any time. You just have to hope he's missing because the strength and the other stuff make him really hard to deal with."
Griffin is also shooting more than 70 percent from the free throw line, compared to 66 percent last season. He is averaging a career high 24.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
"For the past two years or so, all I've heard is everything I can't do," Griffin said. "I take pride in those things that people say I can't do. There's a long list and it's going to continue to be like that, but I just use that as motivation and try to get better. I think sometimes people get a little carried away."
The last time the Clippers were in Dallas, Paul was lost for 18 games because of a separated right shoulder he suffered, and Griffin was forced to take over the team. It was a turning point in the season and in Griffin's career. It showed he could not only lead the team but was a legitimate MVP candidate in the process. Then again, none of that came as any surprise to the Clippers.
"Look at Blake's numbers, they went up, but it wasn't like they jumped 20 points or something," Rivers said. "He was already having an All-Star year before Chris got injured. He just upped it. I think more than anything people from the outside realized how good he was. All of the guys in our locker room knew how good he was." |
Everywhere I look, programmers and programming tools seem to have standardized on XML. Configuration files, build scripts, local data storage, code comments, project files, you name it -- if it's stored in a text file and needs to be retrieved and parsed, it's probably XML. I realize that we have to use something to represent reasonably human readable data stored in a text file, but XML sometimes feels an awful lot like using an enormous sledgehammer to drive common household nails.
I'm deeply ambivalent about XML. I'm reminded of this Winston Churchill quote:
It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.
XML is like democracy. Sometimes it even works. On the other hand, it also means we end up with stuff like this:
<SOAP-ENV:Envelope xmlns:SOAP-ENV="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" SOAP-ENV:encodingStyle="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/"> <SOAP-ENV:Body> <m:GetLastTradePrice xmlns:m="Some-URI"> <symbol>DIS</symbol> </m:GetLastTradePrice> </SOAP-ENV:Body> </SOAP-ENV:Envelope>
How much actual information is communicated here? Precious little, and it's buried in an astounding amount of noise. I don't mean to pick on SOAP. This blanket criticism applies to XML, in whatever form it appears. I spend a disproportionate amount of my time wading through an endless sea of angle brackets and verbose tags desperately searching for the vaguest hint of actual information. It feels wrong.
You could argue, like Derek Denny-Brown, that XML has been misappropriated and misapplied.
I find it so interesting that XML has become so popular for such things as SOAP. XML was not designed with the SOAP scenarios in mind. Other examples of popular scenarios which deviate XML's original goals are configuration files, quick-n-dirty databases, and [RSS]. I'll call these 'data' scenarios, as opposed to the 'document' scenarios for which XML was originally intended. In fact, I think it is safe to say that there is more usage of XML for 'data' scenarios than for 'document' scenarios, today.
Given its prevalence, you might decide that XML is technologically terrible, but you have to use it anyway. It sure feels like, for any given representation of data in XML, there was a better, simpler choice out there somewhere. But it wasn't pursued, because, well, XML can represent anything. Right?
Consider the following XML fragment:
<memo date="2008-02-14"> <from> <name>The Whole World</name><email>us@world.org</email> </from> <to> <name>Dawg</name><email>dawg158@aol.com</email> </to> <message> Dear sir, you won the internet. http://is.gd/fh0 </message> </memo>
Because XML purports to represent everything, it ends up representing nothing particularly well.
Wouldn't this information be easier to read and understand -- and only nominally harder to parse -- when expressed in its native format?
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:55:03 +0800 (PST) From: The Whole World <us@world.org> To: Dawg <dawg158@aol.com> Dear sir, you won the internet. http://is.gd/fh0
You might argue that XML was never intended to be human readable, that XML should be automagically generated via friendly tools behind the scenes, never exposed to a single living human eye. It's a spectacularly grand vision. I hope one day our great-grandchildren can live in a world like that. Until that glorious day arrives, I'd sure enjoy reading text files that don't make me suffer through the XML angle bracket tax.
So what, then, are the alternatives to XML? One popular choice is YAML. I could explain it, but it's easier to show you. Which, I think, is entirely the point.
<club> <players> <player id="kramnik" name="Vladimir Kramnik" rating="2700" status="GM" /> <player id="fritz" name="Deep Fritz" rating="2700" status="Computer" /> <player id="mertz" name="David Mertz" rating="1400" status="Amateur" /> </players> <matches> <match> <Date>2002-10-04</Date> <White refid="fritz" /> <Black refid="kramnik" /> <Result>Draw</Result> </match> <match> <Date>2002-10-06</Date> <White refid="kramnik" /> <Black refid="fritz" /> <Result>White</Result> </match> </matches> </club> players: Vladimir Kramnik: &kramnik rating: 2700 status: GM Deep Fritz: &fritz rating: 2700 status: Computer David Mertz: &mertz rating: 1400 status: Amateur matches: - Date: 2002-10-04 White: *fritz Black: *kramnik Result: Draw - Date: 2002-10-06 White: *kramnik Black: *fritz Result: White
There's also JSON notation, which some call the new, fat-free alternative to XML, though this is still hotly debated.
You could do worse than XML. It's a reasonable choice, and if you're going to use XML, then at least learn to use it correctly. But consider:
Should XML be the default choice? Is XML the simplest possible thing that can work for your intended use? Do you know what the XML alternatives are? Wouldn't it be nice to have easily readable, understandable data and configuration files, without all those sharp, pointy angle brackets jabbing you directly in your ever-lovin' eyeballs?
I don't necessarily think XML sucks, but the mindless, blanket application of XML as a dessert topping and a floor wax certainly does. Like all tools, it's a question of how you use it. Please think twice before subjecting yourself, your fellow programmers, and your users to the XML angle bracket tax. <CleverEndQuote>Again.</CleverEndQuote> |
What is the role of bioenergy in a sustainable food future? The answer must recognize the intense global competition for land, and that any dedicated use of land for bioenergy inherently comes at the cost of not using that land for food, feed, or sustained carbon storage.
The world needs to close a 70 percent gap between the crop calories that were available in 2006 and the calorie needs anticipated in 2050. During the same period, demand for meat and dairy is projected to grow by more than 80 percent, and demand for commercial timber and pulp is likely to increase by roughly the same percentage. Yet three-quarters of the world’s land area capable of supporting vegetation is already managed or harvested to meet human food and fiber needs. Much of the rest contains the world’s remaining natural ecosystems, which need to be conserved and restored to store carbon and combat climate change, to protect freshwater resources, and to preserve the planet’s biological diversity.
A growing quest for bioenergy exacerbates this competition for land. In the past decade, governments have pushed to increase the use of bioenergy—the use of recently living plants for energy—by using crops for transportation biofuels and increasingly by harvesting trees for power generation. Although increasing energy supplies has provided one motivation, the belief that bioenergy use will help combat climate change has been another. However, bioenergy that entails the dedicated use of land to grow the energy feedstock will undercut efforts to combat climate change and to achieve a sustainable food future.
What are the implications of crop-based biofuels for the supply of food?
Bioenergy challenges a sustainable food future most directly when government policy causes diversion of food crops into ethanol or biodiesel for transportation. Biofuels from food crops today—such as maize, vegetable oils, and sugarcane—provide about 2.5 percent of the world’s transportation fuel. Crop needs for 2050 projected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) assume that this penetration rate will remain roughly the same. Yet even this small share of transportation fuel in 2050 would have substantial implications for the crop calorie gap. If crop-based biofuels were phased out, the 2050 crop calorie gap would decrease from 70 percent to about 60 percent, a significant step toward a sustainable food future.
But the FAO biofuel projection for 2050 is modest. Some of the largest fossil-fuel consuming regions, such as the United States and Europe, have established higher biofuel targets that amount to at least 10 percent of transportation fuel by 2020. If such targets were to go global by 2050, meeting them would consume crops with an energy content equivalent to roughly 30 percent of the energy in today’s global crop production. Consequently, the crop calorie gap would increase from 70 percent to about 90 percent, making a sustainable food future even more difficult to achieve.
Overall, phasing out the use of crop-based biofuels instead of meeting an expanded 10 percent target is likely to mean the difference between a 90 percent crop calorie gap and a 60 percent gap. It is therefore a potent strategy for sustainably meeting future food needs.
Would cellulosic biofuels avoid this competition for food?
Cellulosic biofuels (sometimes referred to as “second generation”) may use crop residues or other wastes, but most plans for these biofuels rely on planting and harvesting fast-growing trees or grasses. At least some direct competition with food is still likely because such trees and grasses grow best and are most easily harvested on relatively flat, fertile lands—the type of land already dedicated to crops.
Using cropland to grow trees and grasses rather than food crops for biofuels will probably not reduce, let alone eliminate, competition for cropland. Trees and grasses will have a hard time producing more biofuels per hectare than today’s crop-based biofuels. For example, a hectare of maize in the United States currently produces roughly 1,600 gallons of ethanol (about 6,000 liters). For cellulosic ethanol production just to match this output, the grasses or trees must achieve almost double the national cellulosic yields estimated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and two to four times the perennial grass yields farmers actually achieve today in the United States.
Alternatively, cellulosic biofuels might rely on harvesting existing forests or producing fast-growing trees or grasses on the world’s grasslands or woody savannas. But harvesting standing forests reduces their carbon storage and typically their ability to support biodiversity. Burning the trees for energy results in net carbon dioxide emissions for decades until the trees regrow. Likewise, converting woody savannas to bioenergy sacrifices the ecosystem’s abundant carbon storage and biodiversity, while converting pasturelands sacrifices their ability to provide food from livestock.
What about using “degraded” land for bioenergy?
Some researchers argue that growing bioenergy feedstocks on degraded lands would avoid competition for land. The term “degraded lands” has many meanings, but no matter how it is defined, it is hard to find lands that are doing little today for people, climate, or biodiversity and that could produce bioenergy crops abundantly. There are a few possible candidates, such as cleared forests of Indonesia that are overrun by alang-alang grasses. But while some of these lands could support bioenergy plants, the opportunity costs of doing so are high in a world that needs at least 70 percent more crops, livestock, and commercial timber by 2050. Indonesia’s alang-alang grasslands, for example, provide a low-opportunity-cost way of meeting rapidly growing demand for palm oil for food. Using these grasslands instead for biofuels could push growers to convert forests to meet food product demands for palm oil.
Some researchers also point to abandoned farmland as a candidate for bioenergy production that avoids competition for land. But abandoned farmlands typically regenerate into forests, woodlands, or grasslands if left alone, which provide climate benefits that are already assumed and counted in climate change assessments. These benefits would be sacrificed by using that land for bioenergy.
By adding irrigation water, some degraded or dry lands might produce biofuels while avoiding this competition with food and carbon storage. Examples might include recirculating water systems or saline ponds that grow algae in the desert. Although this kind of production might eventually be necessary to supply biofuels for applications such as aviation, it is likely to be expensive and should only be employed at scale to reduce greenhouse gas emissions after more cost-effective strategies are fully utilized.
Can increased crop and pasture yields supply bioenergy as part of a sustainable food future?
Crop and pasture yields can increase. Yet to avoid clearing natural ecosystems while still meeting projected food crop and livestock demands, crops and pasture yields overall will have to grow even faster over the coming four decades than they did over the previous four decades. Any yield improvement potential is therefore already needed to meet growing food demands.
What are the implications of wider bioenergy targets?
The push for bioenergy is extending beyond transportation biofuels to the harvest of trees and other sources of biomass for electricity and heat generation. Some organizations have advocated for a bioenergy target of meeting 20 percent of the world’s total energy demand by the year 2050, which would require around 225 exajoules of energy in biomass per year. That amount, however, is roughly equivalent to the total amount of biomass people harvest today—all the crops, plant residues, and trees harvested by people for food, timber, and other uses, plus all the grass consumed by livestock around the world.
The world will still need food for people, fodder for livestock, residues for replenishing agricultural soils, wood pulp for paper, and timber for construction and other purposes. To meet these needs at today’s level while at the same time meeting a 20 percent bioenergy target in 2050, humanity would need to at least double the world’s annual harvest of plant material in all its forms. Those increases would have to come on top of the already large increases needed to meet growing food and timber needs. Even assuming large increases in efficiency, the quest for bioenergy at a meaningful scale is both unrealistic and unsustainable.
Why does a small share of energy require such vast amounts of biomass?
Although photosynthesis is an effective means of producing food, wood products, and carbon stored in vegetation, it is an inefficient means of converting the energy in the sun’s rays into a form of non-food energy useable by people. Fast-growing sugarcane on highly fertile land in Brazil, for example, converts only around 0.5 percent of incoming solar radiation into sugar, and only around 0.2 percent ultimately into ethanol. For maize grown in Iowa, the energy conversion rate is around 0.3 percent into biomass and 0.15 percent into ethanol. Even assuming highly optimistic estimates of future yields and conversion efficiencies, fast-growing grasses on productive U.S. farmland would only do slightly better, converting around 0.7 percent of sunlight into biomass and around 0.35 percent into ethanol. Such low conversion efficiencies explain why it takes a large amount of productive land to yield a small amount of bioenergy, and why bioenergy can so greatly increase the global competition for land.
How does bioenergy compare to alternative uses of land to produce energy?
Like bioenergy, solar photovoltaics (PV) convert sunlight directly into energy that is useable by people, but PV’s solar conversion efficiency—and therefore its land-use efficiency—is much higher. On most of the world’s land, PV systems today can generate more than 100 times the useable energy per hectare than bioenergy is likely to produce in the future even using optimistic assumptions. In addition, because electric motors can be 2–3 times more efficient than internal combustion engines, PV can result in 200–300 times more useable energy for vehicle transport than bioenergy per hectare (although fully realizing this potential will require battery production to become more energy efficient). PV can also utilize areas that do not naturally support much (if any) vegetation, such as deserts, dry lands, and rooftops. Overall, PV can contribute to energy security and climate goals with a fraction of the competition for the world’s productive land.
Use of bioenergy at a globally meaningful level will push up costs of food, timber, and land, while solar energy costs are likely to become cheaper over time. Although solar power eventually may face storage limitations, promising storage technologies are already emerging, and solar energy could increase multifold to meet more than 20 percent of global energy demand before running into serious storage constraints.
Is bioenergy nevertheless good for climate?
Burning biomass, whether directly as wood or in the form of ethanol or biodiesel, emits carbon dioxide, just like burning fossil fuels. In fact, burning biomass emits at least a little more carbon dioxide than fossil fuels for the same amount of generated energy. But most calculations claiming that bioenergy reduces greenhouse gas emissions relative to burning fossil fuels do not include the carbon dioxide released when biomass is burned. They exclude it based on the theory that this release of carbon dioxide is matched and implicitly “offset” by the carbon dioxide absorbed by the plants growing the biomass feedstock. Yet if those plants were going to grow anyway, simply diverting them to bioenergy does not remove any additional carbon from the atmosphere and therefore does not offset emissions from burning that biomass.
For example, in a world without biofuels, farmers grow maize for food and feed (absorbing carbon dioxide) while automobiles run on gasoline (emitting carbon dioxide). When ethanol diverts the already-growing maize to biofuels to run the automobiles, those maize fields do not absorb any additional carbon, and the automobiles still emit roughly the same quantity of carbon dioxide. Maize growth by itself does not reduce greenhouse gas emissions because the carbon dioxide absorption would occur anyway.
Ultimately, plant growth can offset greenhouse gas emissions only to the extent that bioenergy leads to more plant growth than would occur anyway, directly or indirectly. That happens only to a limited extent (see “additional biomass” below) and cannot happen at a meaningful scale because the world’s productive land and potential to boost crop, pasture, and timber yields is already needed to meet rising demands for food and timber. Analyses generally attribute greenhouse gas emissions reductions to bioenergy by counting the benefits of plant growth that would occur anyway—thus “double counting” this plant growth.
What accounts for large estimates of bioenergy potential?
Large estimates of bioenergy potential double count biomass, leading to a double counting of carbon. Most of the world’s land grows plants each year. Some of these plants are consumed for food, fiber, and timber while others are replenishing or increasing carbon in soils and vegetation. The latter keeps land productive and combats climate change. Like a monthly paycheck, plant growth will occur again once we use it. But because people use this annual growth—just as they use their monthly paycheck—people cannot divert plant growth to some other use except at the expense of what they are already doing with it. To provide bioenergy except at the cost of food, timber, or carbon storage, people must generate additional biomass, which means biomass that is not already growing or being used.
But instead of counting only additional biomass, estimates suggesting that the world has a large potential to produce bioenergy double count biomass and land by assuming incorrectly that bioenergy can freely divert biomass or land that is already in use. For example, the build-up of wood and carbon that is already occurring in some forests is helping to reduce the rate of climate change. If this increasing biomass is harvested for energy, these climate benefits would be lost. Other examples of double counting include counting woody savannas that would lose much of their abundant carbon storage if converted to produce bioenergy, and counting grasslands whose use for bioenergy would sacrifice livestock production.
What types of biomass are additional? There are some sources of additional biomass that are consistent with a sustainable food future and will therefore reduce greenhouse gas emissions because they do not compete with food production or otherwise make dedicated use of land. This category includes some level of forest and agriculture residues left behind after harvest (some need to remain on the ground to maintain soil fertility); timber processing wastes including sawdust and “black liquor;” and any unused manure, urban wood waste, municipal organic waste, and landfill methane. Another category is biomass grown in excess of what would have grown absent the demand for bioenergy, such as growing winter cover crops for energy and replacing traditional—yet inefficient—fuel wood harvests in some poor countries with wood grown in agroforestry systems and local plantations. Using second generation technologies to convert crop residues into bioenergy has potential and avoids competition for land. But a challenge will be to do this at scale, since most of these residues are already used for animal feed or are needed for soil fertility, and others are expensive to harvest.
Although one or more of these sources may be important in certain local contexts, studies indicate that their potential to meet a sizeable share of energy needs is limited. These feedstocks should therefore be prioritized to energy uses that can probably not be met any other way, such as low-carbon fuels for airplanes.
What should policymakers do?
In light of these findings, phasing out bioenergy that uses crops or that otherwise makes dedicated use of land is a sound step toward a sustainable food future. Doing so will require five policy changes:
Governments should fix flaws in the accounting of the carbon dioxide consequences of bioenergy in climate treaties and in many national- and state-level laws.
Governments should phase out the varied subsidies and regulatory requirements for transportation biofuels made from crops or from sources that make dedicated use of land.
Governments should make ineligible from low-carbon fuel standards biofuels made from crops or from the dedicated use of land.
Governments should exclude bioenergy feedstocks that rely on the dedicated use of land from laws designed to encourage or require renewable energy.
Governments should maintain current limits on the share of ethanol in gasoline blends.
By concurrently pursuing policies that encourage solar energy development, policymakers can catalyze far more energy growth in a manner fully compatible with a sustainable food future. |
In December, a court case brought by Portland-based Asian American rock band "The Slants" led to what could be a major change in US trademark law. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overruled the US Patent and Trademark Office, which had refused to give the band a trademark, citing a law barring "disparaging" marks.
The battle isn't quite over, though. Patent Office lawyers have appealed to the Supreme Court, asking them to consider the case. If the Supreme Court takes up the case and reverses the Federal Circuit—something the high court has not hesitated to do in recent patent cases—the USPTO will retain its ability to quash disparaging trademarks.
Either way, the results of the case will have repercussions for other owners of controversial trademarks—most notably, the Washington Redskins. The football team was stripped of its trademark rights after years of litigation but is continuing its fight at the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.
The Slants have been using their name since 2006, and frontman Simon Tam sought a federal trademark in 2011. A PTO examining attorney denied registration on the grounds that a mark for "The Slants" is disparaging to those with Asian ancestry. The PTO's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board affirmed the decision.
Tao says he chose the band's name to "take on stereotypes" and has noted that the reaction from the Asian community has been "very positive."
The full Federal Circuit considered Tam's case, and nine of the 12 sitting judges voted to find the disparagement rule unconstitutional. The majority held that the rule violated the First Amendment, even though denial of a trademark doesn't stop a band from using the name The Slants. By granting some terms trademarks and not others, the government was engaging in content-based regulation, the court stated in its opinion (PDF). The majority rejected the government's argument that trademarks are a kind of "subsidy," noting that "denial of an otherwise-available benefit is unconstitutional" when it has a "significant chilling effect on private speech."
"Section 2(a) burdens some speakers and benefits others," wrote US Circuit Judge Kimberly Moore. "Lawmakers may no more silence unwanted speech by burdening its utterance than by censoring its content."
Limits on a “subsidy,” or “chilling effect on speech?”
In their petition (PDF) to the high court, USPTO lawyers say that denying a trademark is not "an affirmative restriction on speech," and the Federal Circuit got it wrong. Trademarks are "federal benefits" offered by Congress to advance its policies. In that regard, Congress has "significant latitude to consider the content of speech in defining the terms on which benefits will be provided."
The bar on disparaging marks "does not prevent respondent from promoting his band using any racial slur or image he wishes," write PTO lawyers. "It does not limit how respondent may advertise, what songs he may sing, or what messages he may convey."
It again returned to the analogy of trademark being similar to a government subsidy of speech, making certain phrases more valuable. The disparagement provision is simply a limit on that subsidy program, which is allowable even if it affects speech.
"[T]he First Amendment does not bar Congress from using the resources of the federal government to encourage some forms of expressive conduct rather than others," the PTO brief states. "The commercial nature of trademarks further reduces any concerns about chill."
Tam says he's not worried about the new development.
"I'm very confident that the Federal Circuit got it right, and looking forward to resolution of this long process and vindication of my right to receive a trademark registration for THE SLANTS," he told Ars in an e-mail.
The earlier decision had a variety of examples of offensive trademarks that have been barred by the PTO because they were viewed as disparaging to various groups. Barred trademarks include Stop the Islamization of America, The Christian Prostitute, AMISHHOMO, Mormon Whiskey, Ride Hard Retard, Abort the Republicans, and Democrats Shouldn't Breed.
Some potentially offensive marks that weren't barred include Dangerous Negro (shirts), Celebretards, Stinky Gringo, Midget-Man (condoms), and Off-White Trash. |
Share. The last good cop. The last good cop.
This is a spoiler-free review of Happy!: "Saint Nick."
Stories centered on cops are nothing new in the television landscape. Everything from Law & Order to The Wire has brought their own unique perspectives to the genre. So, can one show reinvent the police drama wheel?
Well, SyFy’s new series Happy!, which is based on legendary comic book writer Grant Morrison’s graphic novel from Image Comics, tries to do just that. Happy! is about ex-cop turned hitman Nick Sax, who is determined to kill himself by consuming large amounts of alcohol and drugs.
Exit Theatre Mode
Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) is the ideal choice for the role. He’s already played a cop for over a decade, but since his departure from Law & Order back in 2011, the veteran actor has been stretching his wings in the comic book and video game arenas. Meloni was even Hal Jordan in the 2009 DC animated movie, Green Lantern: First Flight.
This may not be Meloni’s first foray in the comic book world, but it is his most memorable. Meloni’s portrayal of Sax is first-rate. There’s an effortlessness to his humor that is surprising. His character is a mixture of Batman, The Punisher, and Snake Plissken.
Sax isn’t the most likable character, but Meloni somehow finds a way to pull a little bit of humanity out of the trainwreck that is his character's life. Meloni is great on his own, but when you mix in Patton Oswalt (Agents of SHIELD), the series is elevated to a whole new level of goodness.
Marvel's The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References 10+ IMAGES Fullscreen Image Artboard 3 Copy Artboard 3 ESC 01 OF 17 Here are the coolest Easter eggs and hidden comic book references we found in Season 1 of Marvel's The Punisher. Full spoilers follow! 01 OF 17 Here are the coolest Easter eggs and hidden comic book references we found in Season 1 of Marvel's The Punisher. Full spoilers follow! Marvel's The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References Netflix/Marvel Download Image Captions ESC
Oswalt’s character is Happy. Yes, his name is Happy and his personality is always positive. He’s also a computer-generated blue unicorn that flies through the air. Happy is the perfect counterpart to Sax melancholy attitude. Even though Oswalt’s face remains hidden in a recording studio, his chemistry with Meloni is fun to watch. The scenes where the two of them are forced to work together are terrific. Mostly due to the fact that Sax is usually on some form of prescription medication.
The action scenes throughout are handled expertly. SyFy uses its TV-MA rating to the fullest, with plenty of blood and gore to go around, but it fits in well with Morrison’s story. Sax fight choreography is reminiscent of Marvel’s The Punisher. Like Frank Castle, Sax is an effective killer. He doesn’t do a lot of flips and kicks, but he gets the job done.
The prevalent use of graphic violence does differentiate Happy! from a show like The Punisher. Instead of showing the repercussions that violence has on the human psyche (e.g. Frank Castle), Happy offsets most of the blood splatter with comedy. It’s a style that’s effectively used in shows like Ash vs. Evil Dead and South Park. While Happy! does have its serious moments, I found myself laughing most of the time.
In terms of the larger story, Happy reveals just enough to keep the story interesting. On the surface, some of the villains may seem formulaic, with kidnappers and mafia goons lurking around every corner, but the writers do a great job of bringing these miscreants to life. With names like Smoothie, Le Dic, and Very Bad Santa, there are bound to be some good stories capable of sustaining a long run of episodes. Happy premieres on SyFy on December 6. |
International law, when it comes to addressing the rights of victims of armed violence, is incoherent and patchy. Existing law covers some rights, for some victims, some of the time. But many victims of armed violence fall through the gaps of international law, leaving them without actionable rights.
This is the stark conclusion of a new report by Action on Armed Violence, released today. “Writing the Rights” is a major, first of its kind analysis of international and regional legal and policy provisions on the rights of victims of armed violence.
This non-exhaustive report concludes that much more needs to be done by states to ensure that the rights of all victims of armed violence are protected and that assistance is provided in a way that addresses victims’ particular circumstances and specific needs.
The problem lies in the fact that, currently, existing provisions are too diverse, spanning a variety of different legal frameworks. These provisions often end up targeting specific groups, such as women or victims of torture. The result is that some victims of armed violence fall through the gaps. The rights of some victims are not adequately protected, and access to the services they need is impeded.
AOAV stresses in the report that States should initiate official discussions on the issue of the rights of victims of armed violence, an issue that does not receive the attention it deserves.
In short, States should:
Initiate official discussions, as part of their international commitments, on the rights of victims of armed violence, seeking views of all States on this;
Develop a legal framework protecting the rights of victims of armed violence;
Ensure that reform on this matter is guided by victims and survivors, both on process and the substance of any instrument;
Engage as part of their commitments as States Parties to various international treaties which cover victims of armed violence (such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention against Torture, or the Rights of the Child);
Use the lessons learned from inclusion of victims rights in the Mine Ban Treaty in 1997, the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, and the Action Plan on Victim Assistance in Protocol V of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, to develop an instrument that will bring concrete benefits to all victims of armed violence.
Signatories to the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development and the Oslo Commitments on Armed Violence and Development should consider discussions on this issue as part of their commitments under these instruments. Both instruments contain strong language regarding recognition of the rights of victims of armed violence.
Nerina Čevra, Victims’ Rights Coordinator at AOAV, says: “International law as it stands covers some rights, for some victims, some of the times. Developing a uniform international legal framework for all victims of armed violence will make sure that all have access to the services they need to recover and be productive members of their communities.”
Steven Smith, AOAV’s CEO, says: “AOAV works to support victims and survivors of land mines, cluster munitions, and armed violence more broadly through psychosocial support and capacity building for human rights advocacy. It is our belief that the voices of those most impacted must be heard loud and clear, and their needs, be it in recovery or economic inclusion, must be met.”
Please click here to download the full report.
For more information, please contact: Nerina Čevra – ncevra@aoav.org.uk, or Jane Hunter – jhunter@aoav.org.uk, or by telephone at +44 (0) 20 7256 9500
Click here to read more about AOAV’s work with victims and survivors of armed violence.
Did you find this story interesting? Please support our work and donate.
Did you find this story interesting? Please support AOAV's work and donate.
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Neville Game freak
Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Lerida, Spain Posts: 137
Manage your DOS games with DOSBox and DBGL Introduction and first steps.
1) Adding a new game to the database.
2) What if my game comes in a CD-ROM image?
3) Running a game.
4) Deleting a game from the database.
5) The game runs too slow / too fast.
6) The game won't run at all.
7) How do I remap keys and DOSBox functions?
8) 3Dfx and Roland MT-32 emulation.
9) I owned a real Sound Blaster and music didn't sound this bad.
10) What are CGA Composite, Tandy and PCjr modes?
11) Apart from the Sound Blaster 16, what other sound devices are emulated?
12) How to import and export games: GamePacks.
Introduction and first steps.
So you've read the other DOSBox tutorials around and gotten to know what DOSBox can do for your all games... but you'd prefer to have all of them in just one place, run them with a double click and forget about individual settings.
Then DBGL is just for you. DBGL is a JAVA based frontend available for Windows, Linux and Mac. It's the work of Ronald Blankendaal, and it's available
DOSBox v0.74 is included in the download, so no need to worry about that.
Now copy your DOS games to the DOSROOT folder. DBGL can run your DOS games from other locations, but doing this will make your DBGL folder portable, among other advantages.
Also, using 8 character folders for your games, without accents or spaces is recommended, although not essential.
This is also a good time to change the language in DBGL. If your first language is not English, go to File, Preferences, then General and change DBGL to your preferred language.
1) Adding a new game to the database.
a) Open DBGL and click on the "Add profile" button. This window will appear:
All you really need to do here is to add a name for the game / profile. But if you have an Internet connection it really pays to press the "M" button at the top right of the window. This will import data from MobyGames, one of the most complete videogame databases on the Internet. If you tick the adequate options (in File then Preferences), you can also download cover art and in-game screenshots for your profile.
If you have the game manual, codes, walkthroughs or any documentation you need to access in order to play the game, you can also link it here, in the different "Link" boxes.
b) Ignore for the time being the following tabs and move to the one named "Audio". These are DOSBox default settings for audio.
All you need to remember here is that by default DOSBox emulates a Sound Blaster 16 with address 220, IRQ 7 and DMA 1.
These settings will come in handy later.
c) Now move to the "Mounting" tab. This is the most important section of the profile. It will tell DOSBox where to find the game executables and which folder to mount as your harddrive.
Here we have already entered our settings. The second box (where it reads SETUP) is for the setup programs. Most DOS games had a separate program, called SETUP, INSTALL or SOUNDSET where you had to enter your soundcard or video settings.
If the game is a PC Booter (runs from floppy) then ignore the "DOS" boxes, click on "Booter" and enter the relevant floppy disk images. If there's more than one, during gameplay you can insert the next disk pressing CTRL+F4.
Now we click on "OK" and the new profile will appear in your main list.
d) Being the first time we run our game, it would be wise to run the SETUP program first. So click on the profile with the right mouse button and choose the "Setup" option.
The setup program will appear and we will setup our sound card. If there's and auto-detection option I suggest you to try it. If there isn't, remember all those sound paremeters I asked you to remember before and use them:
And that's it. Your game is now ready to be run.
2) What if my game comes in a CD-ROM image?
a) Copy the image file to your game folder.
b) Now create a new profile and go to the mounting section. When the time comes to enter the game executable, double click on the image file. A file browser will appear, and you need to look for either an abbreviated name for the game or an INSTALL or similar program.
Make sure you also mount the game folder as C. The result should be similar to this:
c) Run the profile. Being the first time, you will be prompted for a few options, such as a destination folder and your soundcard seetings.
Follow the onscreen instructions. At the end the program will usually tell you how to run the game from then on:
d) Now edit your profile, go to "Mounting" and change the main executable for the new one:
And done!
3) Running a game.
Just double click on the profile name. Press ALT+ENTER to change between fullscreen and window mode. Exit the game using the game options, and only with CTRL+F9 if you have no other choice.
4) Deleting a game from the database.
Choose the profile name, press "Del" and confirm your choice. Don't forget to also delete the folder in DOSROOT.
5) The game runs too slow / too fast.
Run the profile again, and with the game in window mode adjust the "cycles" with CTRL+F11 and F12. Once you've reached an acceptable speed, take note of the number of cycles: they will be displayed on the top window border.
Now edit the profile (with the right mouse button), go to the "Machine" tab and enter that number in the "cycles" box. You can now click on "OK" to close the profile and save the new settings.
If you need a clue as to what values to try, older CGA games run under 500 cycles, 486 games use 3000-10000 cycles and Pentium era games need cycles=max.
Also, DBGL offers a few "templates" based on real DOS machines. You can use the year of the game release as a clue of what system it may be expecting. Note that many don't feature the Sound Blaster 16, so sound will be lesser.
6) The game won't run at all.
Usually the issue is that you chose the wrong executable in the "Mounting" tab. So edit the profile using the right mouse button and see if there's any other.
If the problem persists, uncheck the "Exit afterwards" setting in general and check for error messages.
Memory related issues
Not enough XMS memory? Change the EMS settings (in the "Machine" tab) from "true" to false".
Not enough free memory? Check the "Loadfix" box and enter different values, such as 1, 64 or 128.
CPU related issues
Try changing the "CPU Type" to "386_prefetch" or "Pentium_slow".
Sound related issues
Run setup again and check the SB16 values for mistakes. If they are correct, try a lesser SB model or another sound card, but always respecting the values set in the "Audio" tab.
Path related issues
Some games expect to be always run from an specific folder, or a CD-ROM unit to be present.
If the game expects to be run from a "GAME" folder, move your game files to one inside the folder you are mounting as C and edit your profile accordingly.
If the game expects a CD-ROM unit to be present, you can mount the game folder both as C (and harddrive) and as D (and CD-ROM). You can also mount CUE or ISO files as CD-ROM units.
Display related issues
If the game is very old (pre-1990), edit the profile and change the value in the "Machine" box from "svga_s3" to "cga" or "ega". If the game is fairly new, try the different VGA/SVGA settings instead.
If you want your games to show in 4/3 aspect ratio (leaving black vertical lines on the side, but showing proper aspect ratio), some extra steps need to be taken:
- Go to DBGL options, then Dynamic options. There edit the fullresolution values and add your screen highest resolution. In modern LCD screens it will be something like 1440x900.
- Now edit your game profiles (it can be done in bulk) and in the "Graphics" section change output to DirectDraw. In "Fullscreen resolution" select the one you just entered, and don't forget to also check the "Correct aspect ratio" option.
If you still can't figure your problems with a certain game, I suggest you to visit
7) How do I remap keys and DOSBox functions?
Press CTRL+F1 during gameplay and the DOSBox keymapper will appear.
Here you can remap pretty much everything you want. I've found it to be very useful in order to remap the joystick (since I don't have one) to keys.
Two caveats: don't forget to save the changes before you exit, and if you remap a joystick to keys you also need to change the joystick option "auto" in the "I/O" tab of the profile to "2axis".
If you somehow mess up, delete the MAPPER.TXT file in DOSROOT to return to the default settings.
8) 3Dfx and Roland MT-32 emulation.
3Dfx was one of the first manufacturers of 3D accelerated cards, and some DOS games such as "Descent 2", "Screamer 2" and "Screamer Rally" offer support for them.
The Roland MT-32 was a costly music synthetizer that became the gold standard for MIDI music before being replaced with the General MIDI standard and CD Audio.
In order to use these functions with DOSBox, you need to take a few steps first.
a) Go to the "DOSBox versions" tab in the main window and add the path to a DOSBox version that supports the features you need,
b) Copy the unzipped Roland MT-32 BIOS to both the folders of the DOSBox unofficial version and the DOSROOT folder.
c) In the profiles that are to use these features, go to "General" and make sure the new DOSBox version is used instead of the regular v0.74. Click on "Reload Settings" after choosing the new DOSBox version.
d) To enable MT-32 emulation, you also need to go to "Audio" and make sure the MIDI device is set up as "mt32":
And finally choose the Roland MT-32 as music device in the game setup program, if it exists.
9) I owned a real Sound Blaster and music didn't sound this bad.
By default DOSBox uses the default MIDI synthetizer in your system, and experienced users often find it a poor replacement for the real thing.
A simple solution is to install
10) What are CGA Composite, Tandy and PCjr modes?
CGA Composite is a hardware trick to display 16 colors using a CGA (and therefore 4 color) video card. Some pre-1990 videogames use it, such as Bruce Lee.
To see if a game uses it, all you need to do is set machine=cga in the "Machine" tab of the profile, or check out
The PCjr and the Tandy were PC clones released around 1984. They had a CGA capable of several 16 color modes (including CGA Composite) and a PC speaker with three sound channels rather than standard one. Many pre-1990 games support the Tandy and to a lesser degree the PCjr. Marble Madness is one of them:
You set DOSBox to PCjr and Tandy modes using the options machine=pcjr and machine=tandy.
MobyGames also has
You can, however, obtain better sound in many early Sierra On-line titles by emulating these computers, because the music will play using three channels instead of one.
11) Apart from the Sound Blaster 16, what other sound devices are emulated?
a) The Internal PC Speaker: Poor sound and music playback, but since every PC has one most games support it.
b) Tandy / PCjr sound: The same thing, but using three simultaneous sound channels instead of one. Widely supported in games before 1990. To use it you need to set machine=pcjr or machine=tandy.
c) Disney Sound Source: Revised version of the Covox Speech Thing (which is NOT emulated), a very simple device plugged to the printer port. Decent FX, but not widely supported.
d) AdLib: First standard for PC gaming. Decent sound and FX, but no voices. Widely supported. DOSBox emulates it through its Sound Blaster emulation.
e) Creative Music System / Game Blaster: An AdLib competitor manufactured by Creative, makers of the Sound Blaster series. Not widely supported. To use it, set sbtype=gb. Here's a list of games that can use it.
f) Creative Sound Blaster v1, v2, Pro and Pro 2.0: The Sound Blasters are the most supported audio cards in DOS gaming, providing good music and FX playback. Sound quality ranges from 8 bit mono (Sound Blaster v1) to 16 bit stereo (Sound Blaster 16). Unless the SB16 is not properly detected, there's little use for these older models in gaming.
g) Gravis Ultrasound: A Sound Blaster competitor that found wide support in the shareware and demo communities, but nevertheless failed to surpass them in popularity.
This device needs its installed drivers (which can be found sbtype=none before enabling it.
Unofficial DOSBox builds often add support to less common devices, such as the Roland MT-32, a pricey music syhthetizer that became the gold standard for computer music, the IBM PS/1 sound, a three-channel device used only in those PC models, or the Innovation SSI-2001, a much sought-after sound card that employed the same sound chips as the Commodore 64.
12) How to import and export games: GamePacks.
Want to share games with other DOS enthusiasts? Then DBGL really makes it easy for you.
a) Importing GamePacks.
DBGL can export the either the game profiles alone (DOSBox configs, screenshots, etc.) or the game profiles plus the game files themselves. Whatever your choice is, the result is a GamePack archive with the extension DBGL.ZIP.
In order to import them, all you need to do is go to Profiles, then Import.
You can try this feature first with the GamePack archives hosted at
b) Exporting GamePacks.
That is almost as easy. First, select the profiles you want to export from your profile list (use CTRL to select non-consecutive profiles). Then go to Profiles, then Export and follow the on-screen instructions.
The only potentially difficult step is step 2 in the assistant, which will ask you to revise the game folders. By default DBGL will export the folder containing the main executable, but in some cases like CD-ROM games that could leave out the ISO file, so be careful.
In the end you'll get a file with a DBGL.ZIP extension that can be transferred to any computer with DBGL installed.
And that's it. So you've read the other DOSBox tutorials around and gotten to know what DOSBox can do for your all games... but you'd prefer to have all of them in just one place, run them with a double click and forget about individual settings.Then DBGL is just for you. DBGL is a JAVA based frontend available for Windows, Linux and Mac. It's the work of Ronald Blankendaal, and it's available in its own website DOSBox v0.74 is included in the download, so no need to worry about that.Now copy your DOS games to the DOSROOT folder. DBGL can run your DOS games from other locations, but doing this will make your DBGL folder portable, among other advantages.Also, using 8 character folders for your games, without accents or spaces is recommended, although not essential.This is also a good time to change the language in DBGL.a) Open DBGL and click on the "Add profile" button. This window will appear:All you really need to do here is to add a name for the game / profile. But if you have an Internet connection it really pays to press the "M" button at the top right of the window. This will import data from MobyGames, one of the most complete videogame databases on the Internet. If you tick the adequate options (inthen), you can also download cover art and in-game screenshots for your profile.If you have the game manual, codes, walkthroughs or any documentation you need to access in order to play the game, you can also link it here, in the different "Link" boxes.b) Ignore for the time being the following tabs and move to the one named "Audio". These are DOSBox default settings for audio.All you need to remember here is that by defaultThese settings will come in handy later.c) Now move to the "Mounting" tab. This is the most important section of the profile. It will tell DOSBox where to find the game executables and which folder to mount as your harddrive.Here we have already entered our settings. The second box (where it reads) is for the setup programs. Most DOS games had a separate program, called SETUP, INSTALL or SOUNDSET where you had to enter your soundcard or video settings.If the game is a PC Booter (runs from floppy) then ignore the "DOS" boxes, click on "Booter" and enter the relevant floppy disk images. If there's more than one, during gameplayNow we click on "OK" and the new profile will appear in your main list.d) Being the first time we run our game, it would be wise to run the SETUP program first. So click on the profile with the right mouse button and choose the "Setup" option.The setup program will appear and we will setup our sound card. If there's and auto-detection option I suggest you to try it. If there isn't, remember all those sound paremeters I asked you to remember before and use them:And that's it. Your game is now ready to be run.a) Copy the image file to your game folder.b) Now create a new profile and go to the mounting section. When the time comes to enter the game executable, double click on the image file. A file browser will appear, and you need to look for either an abbreviated name for the game or an INSTALL or similar program.Make sure you also mount the game folder as C. The result should be similar to this:c) Run the profile. Being the first time, you will be prompted for a few options, such as a destination folder and your soundcard seetings.Follow the onscreen instructions. At the end the program will usually tell you how to run the game from then on:d) Now edit your profile, go to "Mounting" and change the main executable for the new one:And done!Just double click on the profile name. Press ALT+ENTER to change between fullscreen and window mode. Exit the game using the game options, and only with CTRL+F9 if you have no other choice.Choose the profile name, press "Del" and confirm your choice. Don't forget to also delete the folder in DOSROOT.Run the profile again, and with the game in window mode adjust the "cycles" with CTRL+F11 and F12. Once you've reached an acceptable speed, take note of the number of cycles: they will be displayed on the top window border.Now edit the profile (with the right mouse button), go to the "Machine" tab and enter that number in the "cycles" box. You can now click on "OK" to close the profile and save the new settings.If you need a clue as to what values to try, older CGA games run under 500 cycles, 486 games use 3000-10000 cycles and Pentium era games needAlso, DBGL offers a few "templates" based on real DOS machines. You can use the year of the game release as a clue of what system it may be expecting.Usually the issue is that you chose the wrong executable in the "Mounting" tab. So edit the profile using the right mouse button and see if there's any other.If the problem persists, uncheck the "Exit afterwards" setting in general and check for error messages.Not enough XMS memory? Change the EMS settings (in the "Machine" tab) from "true" to false".Not enough free memory? Check the "Loadfix" box and enter different values, such as 1, 64 or 128.Try changing the "CPU Type" to "386_prefetch" or "Pentium_slow".Run setup again and check the SB16 values for mistakes. If they are correct, try a lesser SB model or another sound card, but always respecting the values set in the "Audio" tab.Some games expect to be always run from an specific folder, or a CD-ROM unit to be present.If the game expects to be run from a "GAME" folder, move your game files to one inside the folder you are mounting as C and edit your profile accordingly.If the game expects a CD-ROM unit to be present, you can mount the game folder both as C (and harddrive) and as D (and CD-ROM). You can also mount CUE or ISO files as CD-ROM units.If the game is very old (pre-1990), edit the profile and change the value in the "Machine" box from "svga_s3" to "cga" or "ega". If the game is fairly new, try the different VGA/SVGA settings instead.If you want your games to show in 4/3 aspect ratio (leaving black vertical lines on the side, but showing proper aspect ratio), some extra steps need to be taken:- Go to DBGL options, then. There edit thevalues and add your screen highest resolution. In modern LCD screens it will be something like 1440x900.- Now edit your game profiles (it can be done in bulk) and in the "Graphics" section change output to DirectDraw. In "Fullscreen resolution" select the one you just entered, and don't forget to also check the "Correct aspect ratio" option.If you still can't figure your problems with a certain game, I suggest you to visit the DOSBox compatibility list Press CTRL+F1 during gameplay and the DOSBox keymapper will appear.Here you can remap pretty much everything you want. I've found it to be very useful in order to remap the joystick (since I don't have one) to keys.Two caveats: don't forget to save the changes before you exit, and if you remap a joystick to keys you also need to change the joystick option "auto" in the "I/O" tab of the profile to "2axis".If you somehow mess up, delete the MAPPER.TXT file in DOSROOT to return to the default settings.3Dfx was one of the first manufacturers of 3D accelerated cards, and some DOS games such as "Descent 2", "Screamer 2" and "Screamer Rally" offer support for them.The Roland MT-32 was a costly music synthetizer that became the gold standard for MIDI music before being replaced with the General MIDI standard and CD Audio.In order to use these functions with DOSBox, you need to take a few steps first.a) Go to the "DOSBox versions" tab in the main window and add the path to a DOSBox version that supports the features you need, such as Ykhwong's SVN or DOSBox ECE (Enhanced Community Edition) b) Copy the unzipped Roland MT-32 BIOS to both the folders of the DOSBox unofficial version and the DOSROOT folder.c) In the profiles that are to use these features, go to "General" and make sure the new DOSBox version is used instead of the regular v0.74. Click on "Reload Settings" after choosing the new DOSBox version.d) To enable MT-32 emulation, you also need to go to "Audio" and make sure the MIDI device is set up as "mt32":And finally choose the Roland MT-32 as music device in the game setup program, if it exists.By default DOSBox uses the default MIDI synthetizer in your system, and experienced users often find it a poor replacement for the real thing.A simple solution is to install the BASSMIDI utility and some music font. This will make your music sound much better.CGA Composite is a hardware trick to display 16 colors using a CGA (and therefore 4 color) video card. Some pre-1990 videogames use it, such asTo see if a game uses it, all you need to do is setin the "Machine" tab of the profile, or check out MobyGames' list of games that employ it The PCjr and the Tandy were PC clones released around 1984. They had a CGA capable of several 16 color modes (including CGA Composite) and a PC speaker with three sound channels rather than standard one. Many pre-1990 games support the Tandy and to a lesser degree the PCjr.is one of them:You set DOSBox to PCjr and Tandy modes using the optionsandMobyGames also has a list of games that support the PCjr / Tandy video modes , but in most cases you'll be better off using the default DOSBox settings.You can, however, obtain better sound in many early Sierra On-line titles by emulating these computers, because the music will play using three channels instead of one.a) ThePoor sound and music playback, but since every PC has one most games support it.b)The same thing, but using three simultaneous sound channels instead of one. Widely supported in games before 1990. To use it you need to setorc)Revised version of the(which is NOT emulated), a very simple device plugged to the printer port. Decent FX, but not widely supported. Here's MobyGames' list of games that support it. d)First standard for PC gaming. Decent sound and FX, but no voices. Widely supported. DOSBox emulates it through its Sound Blaster emulation.e)An AdLib competitor manufactured by Creative, makers of the Sound Blaster series. Not widely supported. To use it, setf)The Sound Blasters are the most supported audio cards in DOS gaming, providing good music and FX playback. Sound quality ranges from 8 bit mono (Sound Blaster v1) to 16 bit stereo (Sound Blaster 16).g)A Sound Blaster competitor that found wide support in the shareware and demo communities, but nevertheless failed to surpass them in popularity.This device needs its installed drivers (which can be found in VOGONS ) to be copied to a folder named ULTRASND so DOSBox can detect them. Also remember to setbefore enabling it.Unofficial DOSBox builds often add support to less common devices, such as the, a pricey music syhthetizer that became the gold standard for computer music, thesound, a three-channel device used only in those PC models, or the, a much sought-after sound card that employed the same sound chips as the Commodore 64.Want to share games with other DOS enthusiasts? Then DBGL really makes it easy for you.a) Importing GamePacks.DBGL can export the either the game profiles alone (DOSBox configs, screenshots, etc.) or the game profiles plus the game files themselves. Whatever your choice is, the result is a GamePack archive with the extensionIn order to import them, all you need to do is go to, thenYou can try this feature first with the GamePack archives hosted at the DBGL homepage : they contain demos, shareware versions and freeware games only.b) Exporting GamePacks.That is almost as easy. First, select the profiles you want to export from your profile list (use CTRL to select non-consecutive profiles). Then go to, thenand follow the on-screen instructions., which will ask you to revise the game folders. By default DBGL will export the folder containing the main executable, but in some cases like CD-ROM games that could leave out the ISO file, so be careful.In the end you'll get a file with aextension that can be transferred to any computer with DBGL installed.And that's it. Last edited by Neville; 26-01-2019 at 07:26 PM . |
Copyright by WDTN - All rights reserved University of Dayton (WDTN Photo)
Copyright by WDTN - All rights reserved University of Dayton (WDTN Photo)
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - It was the first day on the job for the University of Dayton's new president Eric Spina.
He spent his first day on the job addressing faculty and staff for the very first time. He talked a lot about the importance of bridging partnerships with students and community establishments--like local businesses and area hospitals.
Community engagement was one of the main focal points of the work he did at Syracuse University. There, he spent 28 years working in several positions--including serving 9 years as the school's vice chancellor and provost.
He says growing on U-D's engagement within in the community is main goal going into the new position.
"What we really want to do is form mutually beneficial partnerships," Spina said. "We'll bring some talents. We'll bring some unknowns and the community will bring other talents. It's that working together for mutual benefit that's important and one of the reasons why I'm here." |
The controversy surrounding Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee’s alleged conflict of interest regarding property trading has deepened as more details about her husband’s role are revealed.
Apple Daily reported on Friday that Betty Fung’s husband, Wilson Fung Wing-yip, had once represented Wiseson Limited when signing purchase documents in February, 2013.
Betty Fung engaged in a property exchange deal with Wiseson Limited, a company owned by Cheyenne Chan, relative of casino tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun in 2013.
According to an investigation conducted by HK01, the properties exchanged had a price difference of around HK$9.5 million. However, Betty Fung paid HK$6.5 million for the deal.
The senior civil servant released a statement last week stating that the property exchange was conducted through an agent and she never had any contact with the other party, Wiseson Limited. She said that she did not know that Chan had stakes in Wiseson. She added that she had truthfully declared the deal according to the Civil Service Declaration Rules.
Betty Fung avoided reporters’ questions on Friday as she was leaving her residence with luggage, according to Apple Daily.
Apple Daily also reported that Wilson Fung was put on leave by the Airport Authority.
Wilson Fung is currently the executive director of corporate development at the Airport Authority. Until 2006, he was a civil servant in the Economic Development and Labour Bureau and was in charge of aviation affairs.
Chan owns stakes in Sky Shuttle, a helicopter company. Sky Shuttle won a bid, announced the same month of Wilson Fung’s departure, to operate a helicopter service between Sheung Wan and Macau in 2007.
Pro-democracy Civic Party lawmaker Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu told RTHK that the government should fully investigate the matter. He said that Fung’s version of events may not correlate with the truth.
ICAC is investigating the relevant allegations surrounding Betty Fung. |
Brent DA. Firearms and suicide. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2001; 932:225-39. And see: http://www.suicidereferencelibrary.com/test4~id~513.php
Brent DA, Bridge J. Firearms Availability and Suicide: Evidence, interventions, and future directions. American Behavioral Scientist. 2003;Vol. 46(9):1192-1210.
Cummings P, Koepsell TD. Does owning a firearm increase or decrease the risk of death? JAMA. 1998 Aug 5;280(5):471-3.
Johnson RM, Coyne-Beasley T. Lethal means reduction: what have we learned? Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2009; 21: 635–640.
This review article provides evidence regarding lethal means reduction as a suicide prevention strategy, especially through initiatives that reduce access to lethal means.
Florentine JB, Crane C. Suicide prevention by limiting access to methods: a review of theory and practice. Soc. Sci. Med. 2010; 70:1626–32.
Miller M, Azrael D, Barber C. Suicide mortality in the United States: The importance of attending to method in understanding population-level disparities in the burden of suicide. Annual Review of Public Health. 2012; 33:393-408.
This literature review examines the evidence that the proportion of all suicide attempts ending in a completed suicide (the case fatality ratio) accounts for a major portion of the variation in suicide mortality. In the US, the case fatality rate is strongly related to the prevalence of household firearms. Over twenty years of ecologic and individual-level studies support the hypothesis that reducing access to lethal means is an effective suicide prevention strategy.
Miller M, and Hemenway D. Gun prevalence and the risk of suicide: A review. Harvard Health Policy Review. 2001; 2:29-37.
Miller M, and Hemenway D. The relationship between firearms and suicide: A review of the literature. Aggression and Violent Behavior. 1999; 4(1):59-75.
This article provides a detailed review of the most commonly cited, representative and thorough empirical studies relating to firearms and suicide, focused largely on the United States.
Sarchiapone M, Mandelli L, Iosue M, Andrisano C, Roy A. Controlling access to suicide means. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2011;8(12):4550-62.
Yoder Slater G. The Missing Piece: A Sociological Autopsy of Firearm Suicide in the United States. SLTB 2011; 41(5):474–490. |
Increasingly states are quashing the power of local governments--and thwarting innovation
There has been much written about the federalist nature of the American political system. But virtually all of it focuses on the rights of states vs. the federal government. At this historical moment, where the last bastion of true democracy is at the local level, we need to extend the debate to include the rights of communities vs. the states.
In his 1996 State of the Union Address Democratic President Bill Clinton famously declared, “the era of big government is over.” And during his tenure he did everything he could to make that true—deregulating the telecommunications and the financial industries; enacting a free trade agreement severely restricting the authority of the federal government to protect domestic jobs and businesses; and abandoning the 75-year old federal commitment to the poor.
Seventeen years later I fully expect a Republican Governor or two to declare in their state of the state address, “the era of small government is over”. Because again and again, Republican governors and legislatures are preempting and abolishing the authority of communities to protect the health and welfare of their communities.
*Earlier this year Wisconsin passed a law eliminating the authority of cities villages and counties to require public employees to live inside city limits, which also voids any existing requirements.
*A few weeks ago Kansas passed a law prohibiting cities, counties, and local government units from requiring private firms contracting with these governments to provide higher compensation than the state minimum wages or require other benefits and leave policies.
*The Florida House recently voted to preempt local governments from enacting “living wage” laws and “sick time” ordinances. If signed into law, the bill also overrules counties like Miami-Dade and Broward that have “living wage” ordinances that require companies that contract with the county to pay wages higher than the federal minimum wage, and sometimes provide certain benefits.
According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, 19 states severely restrict or outright abolish the right of local governments to build their telecommunications networks. Cities began building their own networks after years of begging private phone and cable companies to upgrade their inadequate infrastructure, moderate their continual price increases and improve their customer service. When cities proved to be serious and successful competitors, telecommunications firm, rather than responding to the competition, went to state legislatures to abolish it. Last year North Carolina became the latest state to join the ranks of those who refuse to allow communities to make their own decisions about their own affairs.
Freedom for Unrestricted Fracking
Several years ago the federal government abdicated responsibility for regulating fracking. The Safe Drinking Water Act mandates federal regulation of underground injection activities in order to protect groundwater sources. But in 2005 Congress amended the definition of “underground injection” to specifically exclude “the underground injection of fluids or propping agents (other than diesel fuels) pursuant to hydraulic fracturing operations related to oil, gas, or geothermal production activities.”
In November 2010 Pittsburgh became the first city in the nation to ban fracking within city limits.
In February 2012 the Pennsylvania legislature responded by passing Act 13, a law that allows fracking in all parts of the city, including residential neighborhoods, which in essence abrogates the right of cities to exercise traditional zoning powers to protect residential neighborhoods from noise and odors and industrial dangers.
In mid-2012 Longmont, a suburb of Denver strengthened its oil and gas regulations. The Colorado Attorney General filed a complaint in court. In response activists successfully got the question put on the ballot. In November 2012 Longmont voters approved the measure with almost 60 percent of the vote. The Attorney General sued. And Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper announced the state would sue any and every city or county that followed the lead of Longmont.
In each of these cases one could argue about the legislation these communities want to enact. In hundreds of communities over the past decade such arguments have taken place, vigorous debates about the appropriateness of residency requirements, or living wage ordinances or fracking restrictions. Communities have gone both ways on these issues. But I would argue that they should have the right to make the decision for themselves. For it is at the local level where those who feel the impact of the decision have the biggest opportunity to be involved with making the decision. Certainly when it is a question of how to spend local taxpayers’ money, or what kinds of commercial activities to allow within residential areas of a city, the community itself should be the locus of decision making and state legislatures should as much as possible respect the outcome.
Cities in Constitutional Limbo
The U.S. Constitution specifically discusses the authority of the federal government and the states. It does not mention municipalities. For that matter, neither does it mention private corporations. Yet after the Civil War, as businesses became more powerful courts gave corporations personhood and dramatically expanded their rights in the face of local and state regulation. At the same time the courts severely redefined cities as mere appendages of the state and restricted the authority of municipalities to govern their own affairs.
For many courts, John Forrest Dillon’s 1872 book Municipal Corporations remains a guidebook for judicial decisions. In an 1868 case, Judge Dillon famously declared, “Municipal corporations owe their origin to, and derive their powers and rights wholly from, the legislature. It breathes into them the breath of life, without which they cannot exist. As it creates, so may it destroy. If it may destroy, it may abridge and control.”
Hundreds of U.S. court decisions to the present day have employed the Dillon Rule to determine the scope of municipal powers and rights. In 1907, for example, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the power of Pennsylvania to consolidate the city of Allegheny into the city of Pittsburgh, despite the wishes of the majority of Allegheny residents.
Beginning about 1920, increasing citizen dissatisfaction at their communities’ servile legal status led states to amend their constitutions to include home rule provisions that broadened the power of cities to govern their affairs. In 1961, for example, the Kansas Constitution was amended to provide that “cities are hereby empowered to determine their own local affairs…” It remains to be seen whether Kansas courts will conclude that deciding how to spend local taxpayers’ money is a “local affair”.
The U.S. Supreme Court has rarely come down on the side of local authority. The 1996 Telecommunications Act was justified by Congress as a way to increase competition. The law specifically allowed the federal government to preempt state and local regulations “prohibiting the ability of any entity” to provide telecommunications services. In 1997 Missouri passed legislation that prohibited cities from providing telecommunication services. The Missouri Municipal League asked the Federal Communications Commission to nullify the state law. The FCC refused to do so because it viewed municipal governments much the way John Dillon did in the 1870s. In 2004 the Supreme Court, by an 8-1 decision, upheld the FCC’s ruling that municipalities “are created as convenient agencies for exercising such of the governmental powers of the State as may be entrusted to them in its absolute discretion.”
Last August a Pennsylvania court went in the other direction by overturning Act 13 concerning fracking in a 4-3 decision that found the law in violation of the state constitution by invalidating many existing municipal zoning requirements The Pennsylvania Attorney General has appealed. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is reviewing the decision.
Government Near the People
Local government is the most accessible of all governments, the most responsive to the popular will. Alexis De Tocqueville described local government as “the great school of democracy”. If we don’t like what our city council or county commission does we can throw the bums out. And kicking them out is not very difficult. Most local elected officials serve for only two years. Running for local office is within the means of many citizens, unlike running for federal or even statewide office.
There is a clear case for higher level intervention is when a community’s majority tyrannizes its minority. Constitutionally protected civil liberties, for example, demand intervention by states. But when it comes to how a city spends its money, or what kinds of commercial activities it allows within its borders, the burden of proof should rest heavily on the state government to explain why it should be allowed to intervene in local affairs.
Republican lawmakers in Florida defend their bills forbidding local minimum wage and living wage laws as a way to prevent the state from having a “patchwork” of laws across its 67 counties. “This bill provides consistency with regards to benefit packages across the state,” said Rep. MaryLynn Magar (R-Tequesta). “It levels the playing field.” But consistency is a poor excuse for undermining a fundamental principle of democracy. Indeed, one of the compelling reasons for allowing local control is the innovation and learning experiences that result from a diversity of local initiatives.
Intervention by local governments to protect communities against the predations of private corporations makes sense. The more remote decision makers are from the community affected by a decision, the less likely they will hear citizens’ concerns. This creates a more unequal the public-private power balance. Large corporations have a much easier time persuading higher levels of government, which are farther removed from the people and issues involved, and also more in need of campaign contributions.
Corporations are legally prohibited from putting the interests of the communities they serve above the maximization of profits to their shareholders. And within corporations, power is determined by the number of shares owned, unlike in a political democracy where one person has only one vote.
There has been much written about the federalist nature of the American political system. But virtually all of it focuses on the rights of states vs. the federal government. At this historical moment, where the last bastion of true democracy is at the local level, we need to extend the debate to include the rights of communities vs. the states. |
Most Improved Player: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Getty Images Ezra Shaw
That's not a typo. No MVP has ever won the Most Improved Player award. It's kind of an absurd notion, when you think about it. How does the league's best player make the biggest improvement? But as great as the reigning MVP was a season ago, he's averaging almost nine points more per game this season. He's doing so at a historic level of efficiency, and he's on pace to break his own record for made 3s by more than 100. Curry has mastered the art of NBA shooting from places no one has ever regularly attempted shots before. (Runner-up: Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons; Honorable mention: C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers; Avery Bradley, Boston Celtics; Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks) |
Report leaked to the Guardian says teachers at the controversial free school in Derby are inexperienced and not properly trained
A controversial free school at the heart of a row between Labour and the Tories over Michael Gove's reform programme will be condemned as "dysfunctional" in a devastating official report.
An Ofsted report, due to be published imminently, declares that the Al-Madinah Islamic school in Derby is "in chaos" and has "not been adequately monitored or supported".
The report, which has been leaked to the Guardian, says teachers at the faith school are inexperienced and have not been provided with proper training.
Pupils are given the same work "regardless of their different abilities" and the governing body is "ineffective", according to the report which was commissioned amid reports of irregularities at the school.
An Ofsted inspection had been due to take place by the end of the year, but was brought forward by two months after allegations that women teachers were obliged to wear headscarves and that pupils were segregated. The school, which has 412 pupils aged between four and 16, closed during the inspection.
The Ofsted report says that boys and girls eat lunch in separate sittings, although it puts this down to the small size of the canteen. Older boys and girls are seated on either side of classrooms although younger children sit together.
The report concludes: "This school is dysfunctional. The basic systems and processes a school needs to operate well are not in place. The school is in chaos and reliant on the goodwill of an interim principal to prevent it totally collapsing."
Tristram Hunt, the shadow education secretary, said the Ofsted report showed that Michael Gove's reform programme, in which the new schools are freed from local education authority control and allowed to appoint unqualified teachers if they choose, has become a "dangerous free-for-all".
Hunt told the Guardian: "What this report exposes is that David Cameron and Michael Gove's Free School programme has become a dangerous free-for-all: an out of control ideological experiment that has left 400 children losing an entire week of learning."
The Ofsted report gives the school the lowest "inadequate" ranking in every area, prompting the chief inspector of schools Sir Michael Wilshaw to call for it to be placed in special measures. The inspectors also complain that teachers without proper qualifications have been given key posts.
"Staff have been appointed to key roles for which they do not have qualifications and experience. For example, most of the primary school teachers have not taught before and the head of the primary school is experienced in teaching secondary-aged pupils only," the inspection report says.
It says that teachers' assessments of work against the national curriculum are "over-generous" and pupils are making poor progress at Key Stage 3.
Primary school teaching is characterised by "poor lesson planning" with all pupils given the same work regardless of ability. In a maths lesson pupils were "insufficiently challenged" and spent most of the 55 minutes cutting out and pasting shapes and "learned little that was mathematical".
The report also says there is inadequate oversight of the school. It says: "This is a school which has been set up and run by representatives of the community with limited knowledge and experience. Leadership and management, including governance, are inadequate and have been unable to improve the school."
Hunt said: "Pupils have been failed on every possible measure and parents will want to know how this was not picked up earlier – especially as Ofsted identified that this school was not meeting the basic requirements on child protection before it was opened. Cameron and Gove can no longer ignore this issue – it is a crisis entirely of their own making.
"Governors have failed to ensure children are safe in the school. They have also failed to appoint staff with appropriate skills, knowledge and experience to adequately monitor the work of the school properly. As a result, governors have not been able to hold the school sufficiently to account."
Lord Nash, the education minister, wrote earlier this month to the chair of the governors, Shazia Parveen, warning that he would be forced to end the school's funding agreement unless swift action was taken. In response to Nash's letter, the school said recently: "The trust and governing body remain fully committed to doing what is in the best interests of our pupils, their parents and the community as a whole. However, at this point, the school is struggling to see how we are being treated comparably with other schools. Consequently, while we intend to co‐operate fully with the Department for Education, we have also sought the advice of the school's solicitors."
The Department for Education said: "We were already investigating this school before allegations became public. We discussed the problems with Ofsted and it launched an immediate inspection.
"We have received a response from the Al-Madinah Education Trust as well as a report on the school from Ofsted. Any decisions made will take into account all the available evidence." |
Actor Ron Palillo, who played the obviously Jewish character Arnold Horshack in the 1970s sitcom “Welcome Back Kotter,” died on Tuesday in Florida. He is the second “Sweathog” to pass away this year.
Robert Hegyes, who played the Jewish Puerto Rican student Juan Epstein, died in January at age 60.
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The 63-year-old Palillo died in his Palm Beach Gardens home from a heart attack, according to his agent.
Palillo smoked and suffered from high blood pressure.
The show’s star, Gabriel Kaplan, told the NY Post: “When Ron walked into the audition and did his first line `Hello, how are you, I’m Arnold Horshack,’ I said `That’s him, That’s the guy I’ve been talking about/’”
Kaplan played the wise-cracking teacher Gabe Kotter, who returned to teach at his old James Buchanan High school in Brooklyn.
“Kotter” launched the career of John Travolta, who played the Sweathog leader Vinnie Barbarino. |
At any given moment, there are at least four visible satellites orbiting above your head. Chances are, at least two of them (if in low-orbit) are being used to monitor Planet Earth. One Texas-based company is harnessing the data and power of some of these satellites to help solve one of our most pressing troubles: water use and conservation.
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the agriculture industry accounts for 80-90 percent of domestic water consumption. To drown you with more facts, here’s another that will pull you under: half of that consumed water is reusable, while the other half is lost to evaporation, evapotranspiration, or in transit.
HydroBio, an advanced remote sensor company based in Amarillo, Texas, is seeking to curb this loss through its Software as a Service, or SaaS, approach. HydroBio utilizes satellite image-driven analytics to help farmers conserve water and maximize crop yields.
“It shouldn’t be an effort for farmers—they have to spend hours and hours on their irrigation strategy,” CEO of HydroBio Barrett Mooney, Ph.D. said. “There’s a problem of resource efficiency use in commercial agriculture. It’s a big problem that really affects all. [Our technology will] not only benefit the farmer’s bottom line, but also prevent residual effects.”
Predominately using satellite imagery and data, HydroBio provides specific parameters of water inputs, and can even identify problems with irrigation, equipment, fertilizer and pests in the field. The software can even point farmers to problems that would otherwise be lurking undetected in a field.
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Mooney says that any information can be imported into the software–data from satellites, weather stations and even farmers’ own can all taken into consideration for the most accurate read. Taking a proprietary remotely sensed index, and combining the value with daily weather values, HydroBio’s software provides a data accurate down to one-eighth of an acre. The software also serves as a database that can be referenced seasons later.
There are other companies that are using satellites to provide farmers with better data, but Mooney says that HydroBio’s claim-to-fame is the company obtains data completely remotely.
“There is nothing from the field,” Mooney said. “No field techs, no installing probes…. [But,] we do like it if an irrigated farm has pivot or well monitoring hardware that we can interface with to show how much water is being applied to the farm.”
Currently servicing 35,000 acres in the Texas panhandle, HydroBio’s targeted customers are those who cultivate 2,500 acres or more. Mooney says they want to service farms of “some scalable size that farmers want to monitor, but can’t get to every day.”
Mooney estimates that farmers that subscribe to the software service and reduce irrigation by as little as 10% can save between $47,000 and $318,000 annually. The software not only allows for saving in both water and fertilizer, but also allows for automation for their applications.
To date HydroBio has been self-funded, thriving on a USDA grant and revenues generated through the sale of their software. Now, they are looking for investors to scale up. The last two years have been about perfecting the service, and now they are ready to bring it to a commercial level.
When asked about why funding is needed, Mooney said that it would simply allow for further development of the service. “It would allow a lot of infiltration of technology that is welcome and needed.” Given the minimal to no-hardware requirements, scaling up the service is a practical ambition.
“As the population zooms its way to 10 billion people,” Mooney said, “[We need to] reduce the impact on the environment with technology like this.”
FEATURED PHOTO: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Flickr |
Hello, Commanders. I'm Gary Richards, Senior Producer on Elite Dangerous for Xbox One. It’s great to finally be able to talk about Elite Dangerous for Xbox One and the surprise launch we’ve been planning!
We released the Elite Dangerous Game Preview on Monday during Microsoft’s E3 Media Briefing. You can play Elite Dangerous right now on Xbox One as part of the new Game Preview Program, making it the first major ‘Early Access’ game available on console. We’re offering it at a special introductory price if you buy now, just like we did with the Mercenary Edition on PC, and when the Game Preview ends you’ll automatically receive the complete release version of the game.
When you buy the game you’ll be asked to create a Frontier account or link an existing one. Once you’ve logged in you'll be able to take flight in our beta galaxy. We call it a ‘beta’ galaxy, but this is already the complete Elite Dangerous experience without compromise. You’ll be set loose in an open space, with 400 billion star systems to explore and a massively multiplayer galaxy where players have real control over the background simulation.
Elite Dangerous is about living a real life in our real galaxy, far off in the 34th century. You could be a trader, an explorer, a pirate, a miner, a mercenary or all of those things at once in an open galaxy you can experience how you choose. We’ve worked hard to make our ships feel real, to make our physics real, to create real stars and planets with real chemistry, and a massive simulation players can affect just by playing.
Our galaxy is so real, if you look up from Earth you’ll see familiar constellations, with every star given its real name. It’s not just a beautiful skybox; those stars are in the right places because our Milky Way is as real as it gets.
Elite Dangerous a truly unique experience on Xbox One and over Xbox Live, and it's only going to get better as we progress through the Game Preview Program. As the first game in the Game Preview Program, and it was important to us to give Xbox One players an experience that already felt hand-crafted for console. This is a true ‘Early Access’ test, not a demo, but we still went the extra mile to bring Elite Dangerous to Xbox One the right way.
The first change you’ll notice if you’re joining us from PC or Mac are a selection of rearranged Training missions, with new loadouts and combat spaces to hone your skills. We’ll be bringing those to PC and Mac later this year because we think they’re a great introduction to the game.
You’ll also notice a whole new gamepad UI layer. Some people already play with a gamepad on PC and Mac, but we wanted to make the whole experience more robust on Xbox One so we built a new controller layout with context-sensitive menus whenever you hold a face button to access important functions like the Galaxy Map or Landing Gear. We’ve even brought the Free Camera to Xbox One using one of those context menus, and we’re looking forward to seeing your Xbox One screens!
Of course we support Achievements, Parties, Xbox Live’s Friends List, and you can even compare your progress to Elite and your total kills with friends straight from the dashboard. And yes - we have an Achievement for becoming Elite. We think it will be one of the most challenging Achievements on Xbox One.
Bringing Elite Dangerous to Xbox One also meant reengineering and optimization for the new hardware. Elite Dangerous for Xbox One is already running at 1080p, and we’re aiming for the highest framerate possible. Our Executive Producer Michael Brookes will be here later this week to talk about how developing for Xbox One will make Elite Dangerous better wherever you play.
Xbox One is also where we’ll be testing our new instant-action PVP mode first. Close Quarter Combat (CQC) Championships will throw players into PVP combat in custom arenas, and tomorrow we’ll have designers Jim Stimpson and Dan Davies to talk about how it works here on the community blog. Play CQC first on Xbox One in July, and read about it here tomorrow.
Finally, I want to thank all our players on PC and Mac. We’ll have a major announcement for you soon, but for now I can tell you the new controller UI will be coming to PC and Mac later this year, and it will be joined by CQC before the end of 2015. Elite Dangerous will keep growing on every platform it calls home.
Thank you for playing, thank you for joining whether you play on PC, Mac or Xbox One, and Right On, Commander.
Gary Richards |
Goldman's Global Leading Indicator's January reading and the latest revisions to previous months paint a significantly softer picture of global growth placing the global industrial cycle clearly in the ‘Slowdown’ phase. They add, rather ominously, While the initial shift into ‘Slowdown’ (which we first noted in October) had a fairly idiosyncratic flavor, the recent growth deceleration now looks more serious than in previous months. Of course, as we noted yesterday, Jan Hatzius us rapidly bringing his optimistic forecasts back to this slowdown reality.
Swirlogram solidly in "slowdown" phase...
Via Goldman Sachs,
The January reading and the latest revisions to previous months paint a significantly softer picture of global growth and the GLI now locates the global industrial cycle clearly in the ‘Slowdown’ phase. Since GLI Momentum peaked in August 2013 at 0.39%, it has slowed by about 20bps to 0.19% currently. While the initial shift into ‘Slowdown’ (which we first noted in September) had a fairly idiosyncratic flavor, with the AUD and CAD TWI aggregate the biggest driver, several additional components have now worsened too, further substantiating the GLI shift into ‘Slowdown’.
The January Final GLI places the global industrial cycle clearly in the ‘Slowdown’ phase, with positive but decreasing Momentum. Previous GLI readings had already highlighted that global activity growth peaked in August and the latest revisions show the subsequent deterioration more visibly. Some idiosyncratic factors might have had a hand in amplifying the current softness, but still the recent growth deceleration now looks more serious than in previous months.
Source: Goldman Sachs |
Siemens AG agreed to buy Mentor Graphics Corp. for $4.5 billion in its biggest acquisition since 2014 as the German engineering company extends its industrial software capability.
Siemens will pay $37.25 a share for Wilsonville, Oregon-based Mentor, the industrial giant said in a statement on Monday. That’s 21 percent above the closing price on Friday. Elliott Management Corp., which owns 8.1 percent of Mentor’s shares, backs the offer, Siemens said.
The acquisition “will allow us to supplement our world-class industrial software portfolio,” Siemens board member Klaus Helmrich said in the statement. “It will complement our strong offering in mechanics and software with design, test and simulation of electrical and electronic systems.”
The deal follows the $970 million January purchase of CD-adapco of the U.S. as Siemens seeks to grow its digital business as part of a retreat from consumer-oriented products to focus on industrial applications.
Mentor is the biggest acquisition announced by Siemens since it agreed to buy Dresser-Rand Group Inc. for $7.6 billion. For its part, Mentor was under pressure to increase shareholder value from activist investor Elliott, which doubled its stake in Mentor in September.
Siemens shares rose 1.2 percent to 109.45 euros as of 9:14 a.m. in Frankfurt.
The purchase is expected to boost Siemens’s earnings before interest and taxes by more than 100 million euros ($108 million) within four years of closing and will contribute to earnings per share within three years, the company said. |
**********
Translator: TranslationChicken
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Editor: TranslationChicken
(Thank you Omair, Fairouz, Lee, Roanz, Sude, Unseen Feet, Dor, Aaron for your help on the Live Draft!)
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ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO TAPPEI NAGATSUKI, THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR OF RE:ZERO, THIS IS A TRANSLATION OF THE FREE JAPANESE WEB NOVEL INTO ENGLISH
JAPANESE WEB NOVEL SOURCE: HTTP://NCODE.SYOSETU.COM/N2267BE/207/
Previous Part: https://translationchicken.com/2017/08/27/rezero-arc-4-chapter-41-tiger-part-23/
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
After Subaru and Patrasche sped into the forest, the two were left facing each other without anything to stand between them.
Seeing Ram holding her wand readied and unflinching, Garfiel stuck a finger towards the forest where Subaru had vanished, and,
[Garfiel: Y’just had t’say those unnecessary things. Gonna be a pain in the ass chasin’ him now]
[Ram: You think I will let you leave?]
[Garfiel: Y’think y’can stop me? Be a huge mistake if y’think th’balance between us hasn’t changed since the old days. And don’t think I’ll go easy just because I like ya]
Cracking his knuckles, Garfiel threatened once more. But he knew full well that this was not a girl who could be intimidated. In fact, Ram didn’t seem affected at all. Garfiel roughly scratched at his spiky blond hair,
[Garfiel: Ram, what’re y’doin’? What’s th’point? If there’s a point I ain’t heard about it. Y’doin this on Roswaal’s orders?]
[Ram: ……Sorry, Garf. It is Ram’s own will to be here. It has nothing to do with Roswaal-sama’s orders. At least, I see no need to ask Roswaal-sama’s instructions at this point]
Hearing Ram say this resolutely, Garfiel, who was beginning to have the same doubts that Subaru had earlier, furrowed his brows with the exact same confusion at her answer.
Looking at her with an increasingly bitter expression,
[Garfiel: I don’t get it, Ram. I’m gettin’ it even less now that it ain’t on Roswaal’s orders, I can’t think of a single reason why y’be doin’ this]
[Ram: Really?]
[Garfiel: Uh――?]
[Ram: Do you really not understand…… why Ram is doing this, Garf?]
Asking calmly, Ram’s expression and tone were no different than usual. But, listening, Garfiel’s expression changed under her gaze.
Confusion. Doubt. Shock. And wrath.
[Garfiel: You……]
Taking one step forward, Garfiel’s heel ravaged the ground beneath it. Gnawing his fangs in an expression of unbearable rage, he narrowed his eyes towards Ram,
[Garfiel: I don’t fuck’n believe it. You’d do somethin’ like this……]
[Ram: ――For Frederica, and for you, Garf]
[Garfiel: DON’T YOU BRING UP THE NAME OF THAT TRAITOR!!]
Roaring, Garfiel stamped down his foot sending the ground caving in, and, with a boom, the surface shattered beneath his foot.
Plumes of smoke billowed out as the nearby trees tilted from the force. The forest cowered in fear, and the air was silenced in terror of his rage.
Yet, in the face of that wrath, Ram’s expression remained cool and unfazed,
[Ram: Do you think anyone will agree with you when you throw tantrums like an obstinate child? Garf, how long are you going to keep running in circles in this narrow forest?]
[Garfiel: Don’t y’talk like y’know everything! You…… you n’Frederica, you who abandoned the Sanctuary what could y’know, ahh!?]
Ram’s words, like she was chiding a small child, did not reach the enraged Garfiel in the end. But unlike the way he stomped into the ground before, this time, he only kicked at the earth without force.
[Garfiel: For me? It’s for me? You…… that’s exactly what I can’t believe. Now it’s already come t’this, how dare y’tell me that……? ]
[Ram: Garf……]
[Garfiel: Did I ask for yer sympathy? Don’t look down at me all high n’mighty. Me, Granny, or the others, we never asked for your pity]
Covering his face with his palm, his breathing ragged, Garfiel wrenched out these words.
A figure that seemed almost tragic, and slouching made its stature appear even smaller than it was.
Taking deep breath after deep breath, Garfiel took his hand off of his face, and,
[Garfiel: Enough. I ain’t listenin’ no more. Turn back to th’Sanctuary now. Do it and I’ll forget this. I still gotta go chase down that bastard]
[Ram: I refuse, Garf. If anyone should concede, it is you. Even if I go back, the approaching ruin is unavoidable. You understand this as well, don’t you?]
[Garfiel: Just go back. I ain’t askin’ again. Go back and stay there till the Trials’ over]
[Ram: No, I will not return or wait. Nothing can come from standing idle. By stagnating in this place, the only thing that will remain in your palms will be ashes of what you hoped to achieve. For something so weak and vague, why do y……]
[Garfiel: Even so! It’s a lot better than having nothing left!]
Cutting Ram off, Garfiel looked up and barked. Etched into his expression was at once rage, jealousy, and sorrow.
[Garfiel: Ruin? So what? Long as I’m here I’ll take care of’it. This time, all of it, I’ll take care of all of it……]
[Ram: Garf, haven’t I always told you? ――That’s nothing more than compensatory behavior]
In the face of Garfiel’s detonated emotions, Ram still responded with single-minded calmness.
In direct opposition and impossible to converge, neither were willing to concede, and no compromise was coming.
Perhaps realizing this, Garfiel looked down and closed his eyes,
[Garfiel: Go back, Ram. This is… my final request. With all the feelings I have ever expressed for you, please. So……]
[Ram: Then, Garf. ――Will you abandon everything except for Ram?]
[Garfiel: ――――]
To Garfiel’s final, grief-filled plea, Ram’s reply was concise and crisp. Although, carried within it was something excruciating that pressed on the hearts of anyone who heard it.
Standing opposite her, Garfiel’s expression stiffened and his lips trembled.
Seeing this, Ram lightly cast down her eyes,
[Ram: Choose Ram over all the things in this world, see only Ram, love only Ram, do everything only for Ram, be loved only by Ram, forgive only Ram, and devote your entire being to Ram―― can you do this?]
[Garfiel: I-I……]
[Ram: Ram, can do this]
Placing a hand on her chest, Ram proclaimed to the stuttering Garfiel.
A quiet and unwavering will, alone filled her words as she lifted her face,
[Ram: ――Ram, can do this]
And that, was Ram’s final ultimatum to Garfiel.
Perhaps understanding this, for only an instant, all dominance vanished from Garfiel’s face. Only Ram was there to witness just what expression adorned his face in that instant.
Then, quickly shaking his head, and stowing all his exposed weakness deep within himself, he bared his fangs,
[Garfiel: I’ve always known… just how stubborn y’are]
[Ram: I could say the same to you. ――If I cannot truly be the most important thing to you, then Ram will not yield to you, Garf. Ram will not belong to anyone]
[Garfiel: Is that, so]
Facing each other, their gazes met.
Conclusions drawn, they acknowledged that neither would back down. Then, both, in a quiet voice,
[Ram: Goodbye, Garf]
[Garfiel: Farewell, Ram]
They exchanged these final words between them, full of affection.
――The forest trembled.
And a roar echoed out.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
[Subaru: Patrasche! Stop! I’m telling you to stop!]
Desperately pulling on the reins, Subaru frantically screamed to Patrasche as they galloped through the forest.
But the ground dragon had no intention of listening to her rider, and only single-mindedly sprinted along the rugged road, distancing them from the firing-line behind them.
Although Subaru had heard of panicked horses that would refuse to listen to their rider’s commands, this didn’t seem to be the case with Patrasche.
The ground dragon seemed no different from usual, and was consciously ignoring his commands.
In other words, she must have deemed Subaru’s commands unworthy of her obedience.
[Subaru: You are ignoring me… for my own good, aren’t you?]
[Patrasche: ――――]
While she would not listen to his commands, she did not simply throw her master off like she was pissed off, either. Every bit of Patrasche’s behavior had been overflowing with concern for Subaru, and Subaru, being tossed around on her back, was close to tears in gratitude and shame.
It was not simply because his ground dragon refused to obey him. He was disgusted with his own stupidity for failing to notice that even his ground dragon was worried about him.
And, alongside this, the matter that was still fueling Subaru’s self-despair in present continuous tense, was that,
[Subaru: But Ram’s in danger! I don’t want to believe that Garfiel will really do anything to hurt her…… but now…!]
Garfiel had made up his mind to kill Subaru. It was outside of his calculations that Ram would stand in his way, but now, just how would he rectify this miscalculation―― was too frightening to imagine.
Unable to save those at the Mansion, Subaru had already more or less come to terms with their sacrifice in this loop. But those terms did not include Ram. Completely unprepared to allow a further loss beyond his permitted range, it tore Subaru’s heart to pieces, resulting in this miserable state.
[Subaru: I hate……getting hurt too, but I can recover. So……!]
Pleading, his voice was almost crying. But Patrasche still ignored him.
With speed like the wind, the ground dragon did not slow down, and had no intention of listening to Subaru’s appeals. Ram and Garfiel were now far behind them. A tragedy unfolding in a place he could not reach.
The thought battered at Subaru’s heart. Why was his heart so weak, and why could it never be strong?
――And, this way, with his sights directed only into himself, repeating mistake after mistake, Subaru was bound to repeat the same failure.
[Subaru: ――Eh?]
Suddenly, his line of sight expanded as Patrasche broke through the tangled woods. Clinging tight onto her as they cleared the obstacled path, Subaru’s jaw dropped at the scene that opened before him.
[Otto: Wh-what happened, Natsuki-san? You’re back in such a hurry?]
The one who asked was Otto, looking just as stumped as Subaru.
It was the train of refugees that was supposed to have gone ahead. Somehow, Subaru had bumped right into the side of their column. He thought they had just been fleeing aimlessly through the forest, but Patrasche’s behavior certainly exceeded his expectations.
[Otto: I thought he didn’t let you leave? What happened to Garfiel?]
[Subaru: I-I don’t really know either…… but Ram and Patrasche……]
Trying to control his ragged breathing so he could speak to Otto, Subaru wiped the sweat from his brows with the back of his hand.
――In the next instant, an atrocious roar shook through the forest.
[Subaru: Wh――!?]
[Otto: Huh!?]
Throats frozen, eyes widened in shock, Subaru and Otto simultaneously startled and turned to the direction of the voice.
The thunderous roar shook the atmosphere and the hearts of men alike, and even the ground dragons showed signs of panic at its overwhelming force.
If there was a single creature unshaken by this scene, it was Patrasche, bearing Subaru on her back.
Thus, she was the first to judge the situation and react.
[Otto: Ah, Natsuki-san!?]
[Subaru: Hey, Patrasche!]
Immediately turning her head to the front of the line of carriages, Patrasche broke into a run. She headed towards the leading carriage―― and then further beyond that, sprinting without hesitation towards the Sanctuary’s exit, at end of the road ahead.
Leaving Otto’s call behind, Subaru felt the Divine Protection activate once again. He didn’t know the reason behind her action, but just as he was about to raise his voice to stop her,
[――――!!]
An impact shook the ground, and Subaru heard a shriek coming from behind.
Involuntarily holding his breath and turning back his head, he gazed in the direction of Otto and the others.
In the left half of his vision, Subaru saw the scene that unraveled in the darkness of the forest.
Carriages sent flying. Ground dragons swallowed along in the impact, and passengers scattering into the air in screams and blood, dying the forest sky red.
[Subaru: ――a]
Witnessing this devastation, Subaru saw, under the airborne carcasses of the dragon carriages, a beast.
――Its whole body covered in golden fur, a gigantic tiger emerged in Subaru’s sight.
-=Chapter 41 End=-
===
Ram…… ;-; I loved this part so much…
===
Next Chapter: https://translationchicken.com/2017/08/31/rezero-arc-4-chapter-42-the-value-of-a-life-part-12/
===
(The Garfiel in the thumbnail is from @HaruSabin‘s amazing fan art!)
===
I’ll use the rest of today to prepare for Chapter 42. I’ll post the Live Draft when I start translating!
===
Chapter 42 Live Draft:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/re-zero-arc-4-42-14126868
===
Next Chapter: https://translationchicken.com/2017/08/31/rezero-arc-4-chapter-42-the-value-of-a-life-part-12/ |
News
DRAGONFORCE REVEAL DETAILS OF NEW ALBUM
London based metal superstars DRAGONFORCE have revealed details of their forthcoming new album. Entitled “The Power Within”, the ten track monster is the bands fifth studio album, and first with new singer Marc Hudson in the fold.
DragonForce guitarist Herman Li said,
“The last two years have been the most fun we ever had making an album. Through writing, jamming and touring together, we have built this incredible energy and it has been fully captured on the new album.
This time around we’ve really brought our metal side to the surface and made some of the best music of our career. From the fastest song we’ve ever recorded to the slower songs, and some things you would never expect from us, this is by far the most diverse DragonForce album yet.”
“The Power Within” will be released on April 15th 2012 via the band’s own Electric Generation Recordings, distributed by Essential Music (UK), Roadrunner Records (North America), 3Wise (Australia) and JVC Victor (Japan).
Li added, “This is an exciting new era for DragonForce with Marc joining the band, so we figured this was an ideal time to take full control of our own destiny and establish our own record label for Europe. It’s all hands on deck running it, but a great buzz!”
The full tracklisting is as follows:
THE POWER WITHIN
1. Holding On
2. Fallen World
3. Cry Thunder
4. Give Me the Night
5. Wings of Liberty
6. Seasons
7. Heart of the Storm
8. Die By the Sword
9. Last Man Stands
10. Seasons (Acoustic Version)
There will also be a Digital & Vinyl Version featuring Bonus Tracks “Cry Thunder (Live Rehearsal)”, “Heart of the Storm (Alternative Chorus Version)” and “Avant La Tempête (Instrumental)”, plus an exclusive box set featuring:
CD Version
Access Code for Bonus Material plus
DragonForce Flag,
DF Flashlight/Bottle Opener,
Set of 6 DF Beer Mats featuring band cartoons by Frederic Leclercq.
A small number of very lucky fans will have their first chance to hear new songs from the album at an exclusive sold out show at London’s 100 Club on February 16th 2012. |
ATLANTA – The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) has announced its selection for the 2017 Sophie Brody Medal, an annual honor bestowed by the Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES) of RUSA, a division of the American Library Association (ALA) at ALA’s Midwinter Meeting today in Atlanta.
This year’s winner is Moonglow by Michael Chabon, published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Sure-footed, Chabon’s command of story, language and ability to interweave memory and reality provides a delightful and utterly memorable reading experience. Few readers will forget Chabon’s grandfather - - one of the more richly developed characters in fiction.
Honorable mentions include Have I Got a Story For You: More than a Century of Fiction from The Forward edited by Ezra Glinter, published by Norton, In the Land of Armadillos by Helen Maryles Shankman, published by Scribner, and Pumpkinflowers: A Soldier’s Story by Matti Friedman published by Algonquin, Vilna My Vilna by Abraham Karpinowitz, Helen Mintz, translator, published by Syracuse University Press.
The Sophie Brody Medal is funded by Sophie and Arthur Brody Foundation and is given to encourage, recognize and commend outstanding achievement in Jewish literature. Works for adults published in the United States in the preceding year are eligible for the award.
This year’s winner and honor books were selected by the Sophie Brody Medal committee; Sarah Barbara Watstein, UNC Wilmington, Chair; Donald Altschiller, Boston University; Emily Bergman, Glendale Community College; Barbara Bibel, Oakland Public Library, retired; Jack Forman, Mesa College; Danise Hoover, Hunter College; Edward Kownslar, Texas A&M University- Corpus Christie; Daniel Mack, University of Maryland Libraries; Mary Parker; Nonny Schlotzhauer, Pennsylvania State University; Barry Trott, Williamsburg Regional Library.
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more about RUSA’s Book and Media Awards at www.rusaupdate.org. |
In the United States, Chumbawamba will always be remembered as the band who had a single hit in the 1990s with that “get knocked down” song, which isn’t that bad of a thing, actually; as far as Billboard-charting tracks that you’ve heard 1,539 times go, “Tubthumping” is endlessly fun and bizarrely complex. But elsewhere in the world, they’re known as a beloved anarchist pop-punk band, with hints of folk and techno, that released 14 full-length albums between 1986-2010. For instance, did you know that in 1994, they put out a record called Anarchy, which not only featured such songs as “Homophobia” and “Mouthful of Sh*t,” but also a graphic album cover showing a baby coming out of a vagina? Reducing Chumbawamba to a single song is reductive and unfair.
BUT WHAT A SONG IT IS, and last night in Oslo, Norway, during the group’s final concert, Chumbawamba played (an acoustic version of) “Tubthumping” one last time. It’s unlikely they’ll get back together any time soon, to sing songs that remind them of the good times, but at least we still have Savage Gard — they WHAT?!?
/doesn’t get back up again |
Google will stop its long-standing practice of scanning the contents of individual Gmail users for advertising purposes, the company announced in a blog post today. The practice, something Google has done nearly since the launch of its email service, allows the company to digest the contents of email messages and use them to deliver targeted ads within Gmail itself.
Google is trying to convince more businesses to use its cloud services
Users are allowed to opt out, and Google also reserves the practice only for personal Gmail users and not those of corporate accounts. However, the practice has made it difficult for Google to find and retain corporate clients for its cloud services business, according to Diane Greene, Google’s cloud division head, who spoke with the Financial Times. This is due to general confusion over Google’s business tactics and an overall apprehension to trust the company with sensitive data, the report says.
“G Suite’s Gmail is already not used as input for ads personalization, and Google has decided to follow suit later this year in our free consumer Gmail service,” Green wrote in today’s blog post. “Consumer Gmail content will not be used or scanned for any ads personalization after this change. This decision brings Gmail ads in line with how we personalize ads for other Google products.”
Greene’s role, since her hiring in November 2015, has been to convince more companies to rely on Google’s G Suite and to move more data off competitors’ services and onto Google’s cloud. This has been a bit of an uphill battle for Google, as both Microsoft and Amazon have emerged as two of market leaders in providing cloud services, with Amazon primarily providing hosting and Microsoft providing corporate productivity services. Now, Google hopes it can bring more customers on board by convincing them that its practices won’t jeopardize corporate privacy.
The move to end targeted advertising in Gmail doesn’t mean users won’t still see ads. Google can still parse search histories, YouTube browsing, and other Chrome activity as long as you’re signed into your Gmail account. But for those who might have been wary of Google’s ad-targeting practices in the past, this may put those worries to rest. The company certainly hopes it will do so for potential corporate clients. |
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