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When enough goals are scored in just three games in a single stadium to make the video above, it is easy to wonder if mysterious forces may be at work. During the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, fans at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, Bahia, have seen an avalanche of goals: Netherland’s historic 5-1 victory over Spain, Germany’s 4-0 destruction of Portugal, and France’s 5-2 thumping of Switzerland. Of all the stadiums that have hosted more than one FIFA World Cup match, the average number of goals at the Arena Fonte Nova, 5.66 per game, is the third highest in history. Only the St. Jakob stadium in Basle, Switzerland (7.33 goals per game) and the Idrottsparken in Gothenberg (6.33 goals per match) have seen more goals during a FIFA World Cup. In an era when marking is tighter, players are stronger and there is often little space on the field, it is an almost supernaturally high figure. It seems as though perhaps a higher power has pointed his or her finger at the Fonte Nova and blessed the stadium. “Anyone who knows Bahia, the infectious happiness of its people, and the energy that seems to sprout from every corner of the land, won’t be surprised by the fact that the stadium has the highest number of goals of this marvelous World Cup, and has seen some of the best, and most competitive games,” Governor of Bahia Jaques Wagner told FIFA.com.* *“It is as though all the saints in the world, and all the gods of football, have come to watch the games with our fans, who are, without a doubt, the most passionate in the vast and beautiful country of Brazil.” Where does the blessing come from?During the long period in which slavery was a tragic part of Brazilian society, Bahia was one of the main landing points for slave ships coming from Africa. Yet it was not just freedom of movement that the slaves were denied. They were also refused their religious freedom and were banned from professing their faith or praising their *orishas *– the gods of the Yoruba people that represent the fundamental elements of nature. Eventually a group of slaves resolved to find a way around the ban. They did so by allocating a saint of the Catholic Church, the official state religion throughout the period of slavery, to each orisha. As a result Bahia, and more specifically Salvador, became an epicenter of religious syncretism: a fusion of the elements of candomble and Catholicism. Over time society changed, and in 1888 slavery was abolished. When forced to decide between the two religions, Bahia ended up choosing both. But this is not merely a question of simple demographics. Devotees of umbanda *and *candomble remain a minority in Bahia. Yet the cultural heritage that developed during the era of slavery has become an essential part of the culture of the state of Bahia, and the city of Salvador in particular. Starting with the ribbons of the Nosso Senhor do Bonfimchurch, many of the traditions and tourist attractions of the city are directly related to African religions and their relationship with Catholicism. It is no coincidence, after all, that the city is perched on the edge of the Baia de Todos os Santos – All Saints Bay. All that those visiting the city for the FIFA World Cup need to do to see evidence of the city's religious history is to look beyond the stands of the Arena Fonte Nova. There, floating on the surface of the Dique do Tororo lake, are eight *orisha *statues - Oshun, Ogun, Oxossi, Shango, Oxala, Yemanja, Nana and Iansan. Salvador is a mystical place for everyone, and it has been blessed with the best possible gift for every football fan: goals. The stadium’s biggest test, however, will come on Wednesday, when Bosnia and Herzegovina play Iran. Between them the two teams have scored one goal in four matches, resulting in an average of 0.25 goals per game. Still, who knows what effect the Arena Fonte Nova blessing might have? |
In Lisps (and thus Clojure), code is data. But data is not code until you define a language around it. Many DSLs in this space drive at a data representation for schemas. But predicative specs have an open and large vocabulary, and most of the useful predicates already exist and are well known as functions in the core and other namespaces, or can be written as simple expressions. Having to 'datafy', possibly renaming, all of these predicates adds little value, and has a definite cost in understanding precise semantics. spec instead leverages the fact that the original predicates and expressions are data in the first place and captures that data for use in communicating with the users in documentation and error reporting. Yes, this means that more of the surface area of clojure.spec will be macros, but specs are overwhelmingly written by people and, when composed, manually so. |
A report blaming the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in part on global warming has generated more ridicule than alarm, renewing scrutiny over the role of liberal foundations in keeping the fading #ExxonKnew social media campaign alive. The article, “The role a melting glacier played in Exxon’s biggest disaster,” earned a few hat tips from the environmental movement after appearing Thursday in the Los Angeles Times, but the taunting from climate-catastrophe challengers has been merciless. “Blindingly stupid,” “climate change fan fiction,” “irrelevant” and “ridiculous” were among the insults hurled at the report, written by students from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism’s Energy and Environmental Reporting Project. “Anyone who has ever followed the story knows that the only ice responsible for the Exxon Valdez spill would be the ice cooling the captain’s many cocktails that night,” said Katie Brown of Energy in Depth, which is funded by the Independent Petroleum Association of America. “But for anti-Exxon campaigners, no alternate theories (or should we say alternative facts?) are too outrageous to publish.” Not lost on critics were the project’s funders: left-of-center philanthropies, including those backed by the Rockefeller family and billionaire George Soros, that have made no secret of their support for climate advocacy and antipathy toward the fossil fuel industry. A disclosure at the end of the article said that the foundations “have no involvement in or influence over the articles produced by project fellows in collaboration with the Los Angeles Times,” but not everyone was buying it. “The Los Angeles Times is really ramping up the fake news factor with this Rockefeller- and Soros-funded ‘article’ seeking to blame global warming for the 1989 Exxon Valdez,” said Marc Morano, publisher of the skeptics’ website Climate Depot. The story suggested that Exxon should have known that the Columbia Glacier had become unstable as a result of global warming, increasing the risk of iceberg hazards, before the Exxon Valdez crashed into Alaska’s Bligh Reef after swerving to avoid an iceberg. “What was triggering the glacier to drop icebergs at such a ferocious and ultimately disastrous pace was unclear at the time,” said the article. “But some scientists, even then, were beginning to look at climate change’s role.” The Union of Concerned Scientists, a leader of the #ExxonKnew campaign, retweeted the article, calling the Exxon Valdez disaster an “early product of @ExxonMobil’s well-documented legacy actively peddling #climate denial.” How was Exxon to “know”? The article said scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey raised the possibility in 1975 and 1978 of climate-driven iceberg hazards. Then again, there was hardly a consensus: Energy in Depth reported that USGS studies released in 1977 and 1980 said the behavior of iceberg-calving glaciers “is apparently not directly related to climatic variations.” Roy W. Spencer, meteorologist and principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, was also dubious, calling it “quite a stretch to blame the disaster on human-caused global warming.” “Glaciers naturally flow to the ocean and calve. As long as it snows on them, gravity makes them flow to the ocean — no global warming required,” Mr. Spencer said in an email. “Even if calving increased in the 1980s, the warming in Alaska that abruptly started around 1980 was due to a shift in a natural climate cycle called the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), not the result of a slow warming trend due to humans.” By the article’s logic, “anyone can blame basically anything that happens to them on climate change. Did you avoid a puddle when you hit that telephone pole? Sue Exxon!” quipped conservative columnist David Harsanyi of The Federalist. “Somehow, since 1989, thousands of tankers have been able to ship oil from Alaska to California and avoid hitting the reef, even with the presence of a bay ‘riddled with icebergs’ that were allegedly caused by Exxon failing to take responsibility for anthropomorphic global warming in 1980s,” Mr. Harsanyi said in a Friday op-ed. Hillary Manning, Los Angeles Times communications director, had no comment on the criticism but noted the newspaper had been transparent on the project’s funders, which include the Rockefeller Family Fund, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Mr. Soros’s Open Society Foundations. The skeptics’ website Watts Up With That called the article “blindingly stupid fake news,” while the conservative Media Research Center dismissed it as a “hit piece,” saying the Los Angeles Times “has struck once again in a feeble attempt to sink ExxonMobil.” Certainly the prominent newspaper and prestigious journalism school have a history when it comes to Exxon. An October 2015 report in the Times by the same Columbia environmental project alleged that Exxon ignored its own research on climate change, which Exxon has denied. The article ran a month after an #ExxonKnew series in InsideClimate News, which also receives Rockefeller support. In March 2016 New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman cited the reporting as the impetus for a coordinated pursuit by 17 attorneys general into climate “fraud.” Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism Dean Steve Coll said in a November email that the school’s Exxon reporting “was entirely independent of the funders. The subject matter of the investigation was my initiative, on behalf of the Columbia Journalism School, not the initiative of the funders.” Mr. Coll said the idea to investigate the internal scientific research of Exxon and other oil companies came as an outgrowth of his 2012 book criticizing Exxon, “Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power.” “I approached funders about the idea and was able to persuade Rockefeller and other foundations to support our work,” Mr. Coll said. “We then proceeded to do the work on our own, without any further collaboration with the foundations or anyone else.” The #ExxonKnew series by InsideClimate News was named a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in public service. The Pulitzers are administered by Columbia University, and Mr. Coll has been a judge since 2012. Mr. Coll wrote his book while serving as president of the New America Foundation, “which — surprise! — is also funded by the Rockefellers,” said Ms. Brown, as well as Mr. Soros’ Open Society Foundations. She called the insistence of editorial independence “laughable” given that Rockefeller Family Fund director Lee Wasserman took credit for the 2015 Columbia series in a Dec. 8 op-ed in The New York Review of Books. Since its bold launch, #ExxonKnew has lost steam. No prosecutor has jumped into the fray despite the urging of the #ExxonKnew campaign, now trying to convince California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to launch an investigation. The prosecutors who have, Mr. Schneiderman and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, both Democrats, are now locked in a court battle with Exxon, which has accused them of conducting a politically motivated “witch hunt.” U.S. District Court Judge Ed Kinkeade cast doubt on the neutrality of the #ExxonKnew campaign in his March 29 order on the Exxon lawsuit, which sent the matter from a Texas court to a federal court in New York. “The attorneys general now say they are investigating Exxon because of two different periodicals published in the fall of 2015 (arguably trying to pursue the same climate change policy agendas as the attorneys general are),” said the judge. “The court is uncertain if it is common practice for attorneys general to begin to investigate a company after reading an article that accuses a company of possibly committing wrongdoing decades ago,” he added. Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. |
Avalanche Signs O'Brien by Staff Writer / Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has signed defenseman Shane O’Brien to a one-year contract through the 2011-12 season. O’Brien, 27, appeared in 80 games for the Nashville Predators this past season, tallying nine points (2g/7a) and 83 penalty minutes. His 80 games matched his career high set in 2006-07. The Port Hope, Ontario native also dressed in 12 playoff games for Nashville (0g/0a). “We are pleased to have Shane under contract,” said Avalanche General Manager/Executive Vice President Greg Sherman. “He adds depth and brings an element to our defense.” Selected by Anaheim in the eighth round (250th overall) of the 2003 Entry Draft, O’Brien has appeared in 379 career NHL games with Anaheim, Tampa Bay, Vancouver and Nashville. He has totaled 64 points (10g/54a) and 688 penalty minutes. He has also skated in 40 career playoff games, recording two goals and three assists. View Less |
Canberra Raiders Edrick Lee has been named in the QAS Emerging Origin Squad. The selection is a reward for Lee who produced his best season to date in 2015. New XXXX Maroons coach Kevin Walters is excited about the opportunity to work with Queensland’s finest young talent at the QAS Emerging Origin Squad camp commencing in Brisbane this month. Featuring players from 10 National Rugby League clubs, the 20-man squad will utilise the Queensland Sport & Athletics Centre (QSAC) facilities from January 29-31. “It’s always good to bring young blood through pathway programs like these,” Walters said. “Identifying that talent early, getting them in together and getting them around the camp environment is the main objective. Introducing them to the Origin staff in some capacity is another major benefit as well. “We’re always eager to look at the next generation of players coming through and the best way to do it is through these camps.” The 2016 squad includes premiership-winning North Queensland Cowboys hooker Jake Granville, a Central Queensland product who first shot to prominence with the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the Intrust Super Cup. “He’s had a couple of good years at the Broncos and was a really dominant player for the Cowboys last year so we thought it was time to introduce him to the squad as well,” Walters said. “We’re very well positioned there at hooker if Cameron Smith is unavailable for whatever reason. “We’ve got some good young talent coming through. Jake Friend from the Roosters is another one who has been in the system for two or three years now so it was probably time we introduced more of our Queensland talent to the program.” Walters said the Emerging Squad was a “great concept” that had played a pivotal role in Queensland’s Origin success over many years. “Most of them have played some sort of junior rep football or they know each other, but it’s nice to get them all together,” he said. “It’s good for the coaches as well, and for myself personally to meet them all and see their different personalities and different traits because at the end of the day we’d like to see them come through and eventually play Origin.” QAS Emerging Origin Squad: JAYSON BUKUYA (Cronulla Sharks) DALE COPLEY (Brisbane Broncos) TIM GLASBY (Melbourne Storm) JAKE GRANVILLE (North Queensland Cowboys) CHRIS GREVSMUHL (South Sydney Rabbitohs) VALENTINE HOLMES (Cronulla Sharks) BEN HUNT (Brisbane Broncos) EDRICK LEE (Canberra Raiders) ETHAN LOWE (North Queensland Cowboys) NENE MACDONALD (Gold Coast Titans) MOSES MBYE (Canterbury Bulldogs) ANTHONY MILFORD (Brisbane Broncos) CAMERON MUNSTER (Melbourne Storm) DYLAN NAPA (Sydney Roosters) JOE OFAHENGAUE (Brisbane Broncos) JUSTIN O’NEILL (North Queensland Cowboys) COREY OATES (Brisbane Broncos) LLOYD PERRETT (Canterbury Bulldogs) KORBIN SIMS (Newcastle Knights) JARROD WALLACE (Brisbane Broncos) |
From Scott Wong writing at The Hill: Outside the Beltway, the right is livid with new Speaker Paul Ryan’s trillion-dollar spending deal with Democrats. Conservative pundit Ann Coulter says Ryan, just seven weeks on the job, is ripe for a primary challenge. “Paul Ryan Betrays America,” blared a headline on the conservative site Breitbart.com. And Twitter is littered with references to the Wisconsin Republican’s new “Muslim beard.” Ryan is refusing to let the attacks go unanswered and is using his megaphone as the nation’s top elected Republican to try to drown out the chorus of conservative critics. After Congress passed the nearly $2 trillion government funding and tax-cuts package last week, Ryan touted conservative victories in a roundtable with Capitol Hill reporters, on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, and again during a trio of interviews with friendly conservative talk radio hosts Michael Medved, Hugh Hewitt and his old political mentor, Bill Bennett. “He will continue to talk directly to conservatives throughout the country as he has always done,” a Ryan aide said. Ryan has repeatedly stressed that the bipartisan funding agreement lifted the 40-year federal ban on crude oil exports and renewed hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks for U.S. businesses and families. But in a nod to the critics, Ryan has also emphasized that he “inherited” the flawed omnibus from his predecessor, ousted Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), and that the cake was “already baked” by the time he was handed the reins in late October. Those arguments have done little to sway some of Ryan’s critics, particularly on conservative talk radio. |
When sitting down to talk with a new psychiatrist a few weeks ago, she asked me where I saw myself in the future. I covered the basics: get a job I hopefully enjoy, find a lifetime partner (the details of whether it would be a monogamous or polyamorous relationship, I was not sure yet,) own a little house, foster dogs and live my life childfree. She was quick to question why I do not want kids. I was slightly irritated by this, and I am sure many childfree couples and childfree individuals get this question numerous times. I am nineteen years old, so I am not at the prime age to pop out babies anytime soon, but I am sure when my time comes (right now, the average age to have a child in Canada is late 20’s, early 30’s,) I will be asked the same question the psychiatrist asked. Why do you not want kids? How could you not want kids? I have decided not to have children for the following reasons: 1. Overpopulation. The world is overpopulated as it is, and the environment is suffering from it. Being Pagan, I am incredibly worried about the current state of the world’s nature, weather, animals, etc. I would just feel very irresponsible having children when we already have over 7 billion people on the planet. We seriously do not need any more, especially when you’ve got families like the Duggars who have 19 kids already. 2. Tokophobia. Pregnancy, childbirth, it all freaks me out. Having a parasite like thing clinging inside and feeding off me for nine months….I just can’t get over that. 3. No maternal instinct. I seriously feel I was never born with a maternal instinct. I was the only person in sixth grade who took the babysitting course that ended up hating babysitting. I felt totally out of place and didn’t know what to do with kids. All of my elementary school friends seemed to just have a natural thing for kids, me, absolutely not. 4. The cost. Kids are not just expensive, they are insanely expensive! Daycare, food, carseats, toys, clothes that they grow out of super fast, school supplies, medicine, and those are just the bare necessities! Once they talk they will want the latest technology and entertainment. If I were to have a child, I also would not only want to provide them with the basics to survive; but also equip them with tools for later in their life, like helping them pay for post-secondary education. 5. I just don’t see it as miraculous and amazing as some people make it out to be. Every single species reproduces one way or another to keep the species going, the difference between animals and humans are that humans have the choice whether to reproduce or not. 6. My Goals. My future goals involve travelling, reading, writing, educating myself, volunteering and giving back to communities. Having children are just not part of the equation for what I would want as my ideal, fulfilling life. 7. The time. Kids take up a tremendous amount of time, leaving the average parent exhausted, stressed or at least cleaning up after them 24/7. If I had kids, I would have no time left over to volunteer or help others like I plan to. 8. It is NOT just 18 years, it lasts the rest of your life!!! Lets just think about that for a minute. 9. My kid would be just like any other average person. Unlike some parents who assume their kid is destined for greatness, I am willing to admit my genes are nothing special. 10. My body, my choice. When I was born, I was born with a body, and it was mine, nobody else’s. What I do with my body is my choice, as long as it does not violate other individuals’ rights in the process, (i.e.: murder.) I do not want to give birth or have children. This should be so obvious and pure, so it is kind of sad I am even noting this as one of the reasons why I do not want kids, but hey, we still live in a world where not everyone has access to birth control and/or programs like Planned Parenthood. Some of you may think “Well what about adoption? If you are scared of pregnancy, why not adopt?” Numbers 3,4,5,6,7,8 and 10 include having and raising a child through adoption. I have nothing against adoption. Of course, I am not against having children either! These are my personal reasons why I do not wish to become a parent. If you have read up to this point and NOT been offended, I congratulate you. This article was not to offend anyone, nor am I trying to convert anyone to the childless/childfree lifestyle. I will be just as happy for my younger sister if and when she decides to have children, (through adoption or biologically,) or not. These are my personal reasons and my personal choice to choose to be childfree. If you are still puzzled and confused with my decision, I turn the tables to you. Why do YOU want kids? Do you love teaching, nurturing, protecting and dedicating your life to help a young, vulnerable person develop into their fullest potential? Or is parenting something you have not thoroughly thought through and just figured that it is just “something everybody does?” If you chose the second option, I strongly encourage you to answer the following question, I mean really answer it: Why do YOU want kids? Advertisements |
Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Cody had to be put down after being set alight in August 2012 Two men have changed their pleas to guilty in a case involving a pet dog being set on fire in County Antrim. Cody, a three-year-old collie, had to be put to sleep after being doused in accelerant and set alight in 2012. Andrew Richard Stewart, 23, from Wellington Park, Moira, pleaded guilty to the animal cruelty charge. His co-accused, Jamie Downey, 23, from Chestnut Hill Avenue, Moira, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of perverting the course of justice. The pleas came on what was due to have been the second day of the pair's trial at Belfast Crown Court. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Cody's owner, Natalie Agnew, said she was "delighted" by the guilty pleas Earlier in the case, Downey had denied a charge of cruelty. The attack happened in August 2012 in a quarry near the village of Maghaberry. On Thursday, a prosecution barrister told the Belfast Crown Court Stewart accepted he was the one who poured flammable liquid on the dog. He added that Stewart accepted he acted alone. The court heard Downey then made up a story of their movements that day, with Stewart. The judge told Stewart that he would face an "inevitable prison sentence". They were both released on bail, pending sentencing on 7 October. Cody's owner, Natalie Agnew, said she was "delighted" by the guilty pleas. "We've waited two years for this, for the guilty verdict, and we look forward to the sentencing of the two culprits," she said. "It's been horrendous, the effect it's had on the children, let alone what they actually did to the poor dog. "The effect it's had on my two boys is still ongoing, they've had to have counselling and sleepless nights, nightmares. "It's just been awful hard to try and come to terms with." |
Anissa Weier listens to defense attorney Joseph Smith Jr. during closing arguments in her case before Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Michael Bohren on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in Waukesha, Wis. Weier is accused of helping her friend stab their classmate nearly to death to please online horror character Slender Man. (C.T. Kruger /Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool) WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin girl who admitted to participating in the stabbing of a classmate to please horror character Slender Man will avoid prison after a jury determined Friday that she was mentally ill at the time of the attack. Anissa Weier trembled as the jury’s verdict was read after a week of testimony and some 11 hours of deliberations. She wasn’t available afterward, but her attorney said Weier was relieved and cried following the verdict. “I’m very thankful to the jurors for taking the time to look at what was really going on with her,” Maura McMahon said, her own eyes wet from crying. Weier and Morgan Geyser lured classmate Payton Leutner into the woods at a park in Waukesha, a Milwaukee suburb, in 2014. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while Weier urged her on, according to investigators. A passing bicyclist found Leutner, who barely survived her wounds. All three girls were 12 at the time. Both Weier and Geyser told detectives they felt they had to kill Leutner to become Slender Man’s “proxies,” or servants, and protect their families from the demon’s wrath. Weier, now 15, pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide in a deal with prosecutors in August. But she claimed she was mentally ill during the attack and not responsible for her actions, in a bid to be sent to a mental institution rather than prison. A plea agreement called for her to spend at least three years in a mental hospital if judged mentally ill, and 10 years in prison if not. McMahon said she hopes the case reveals that children may be dealing with mental health issues lost on adults who have become too busy with their own lives to pay attention and resources abound to help them. “Life is better for children when adults around them are in communication with each other,” she said. Deputy District Attorney Ted Szczupakiewicz declined comment. Leutner’s family left the courtroom in silence; a victim witness coordinator told reporters the family had no comment. Judge Michael Bohren ordered a pre-commitment investigation report on Weier and said he would hold a hearing to decide how long to commit her after the report is completed. He could sentence her more severely than the plea agreement calls for, including up to a 25-year commitment, the same as the maximum prison time she could have received. The jury’s verdict came after some 11 hours of deliberations, and about an hour after it had appeared to reach a verdict in Weier’s favor only to see it rejected by Bohren. Though that first verdict wasn’t read in court, defense attorney McMahon said 10 of 12 jurors — the minimum required by law — voted Weier was mentally ill. On a second question that jurors had to decide — whether she was criminally responsible for her actions — 10 jurors also voted she was not. But it wasn’t the same 10 on both questions, according to McMahon. Bohren ordered the jury to resume deliberations. In closing arguments, McMahon told the jury that Weier was lonely, depressed and descended into “madness” that warranted a mental hospital rather than prison. McMahon said Weier’s unhappiness stemmed from her divorce, and she latched onto Geyser. Together they became obsessed with Slender Man, developing a condition called shared delusional disorder, McMahon said. Weier believed Slender Man could read her mind as well as teleport and would kill her or her family if she talked about him, she said. Slender Man, a fictional creature of the internet, is a paranormal being who lurks near forests and absorbs, kills or carries off his victims. In some accounts, he targets children. Some renderings show him as a long-limbed, lean man in a black suit, with no face; others with tentacles protruding from his back. “This sounds crazy, because it is,” McMahon said. “This was a real being to this child and she needed to protect those around her. At 12 years old, she had no way to protect herself from (Slender Man) except for Morgan’s advice and they swirled down into madness together.” Szczupakiewicz, the prosecutor, countered during his closings that the stabbing was calculated. He said the girls had planned the attack for at least four months. He asked jurors to consider why if the girls were so afraid of Slender Man they waited so long to attack Leutner. He also pointed out that Weier told a detective she wasn’t frightened of Slender Man until after the attack, when Geyser told her she had made a deal with the monster that he would spare their families if they killed Leutner. “It comes down to did she have to or did she want to?” Szczupakiewicz said. “It wasn’t kill or be killed. It was a choice and she needs to be held criminally responsible.” Weier, bespectacled and dressed in a long gray-and-white cardigan, visibly trembled in her seat during the closings. Wisconsin law requires only 10 of 12 jurors to render a verdict on whether a criminal defendant wasn’t responsible for her actions due to a mental condition. Geyser has pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted first-degree intentional homicide by reason of mental disease or defect. Her trial is set to begin Oct. 9. ___ Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1 ___ Sign up for the AP’s weekly newsletter showcasing our best reporting from the Midwest and Texas: http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv |
9-Year-Old Gets in Trouble for Bringing Cupcakes with Army Figures on Them to School On Friday, a 9-year-old boy in Detroit brought cupcakes to Schall Elementary School for his birthday. Pretty innocent, right? You would think so, but no. Both the boy and his parents were reprimanded for a decoration on the cupcakes that the school principal found to be inappropriate—little green Army men. According to CBS, school principal Susan Wright called the parents and said the cupcakes were insensitive. She then reportedly had the school staff remove the Army men before serving the cupcakes. Once the media got wind of what happened, Wright issued this statement: “In the climate of recent events in schools we walk a delicate balance in teaching non-violence in our buildings and trying to ensure a safe, peaceful atmosphere. On one hand, there are those who advocate arming teachers, having armed security guards and creating a fortress of defense in our schools. ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website "On the other hand, there are those who feel that guns create fear in schools and we need to put solid security measures in place, plus practice routines to be prepared in case an emergency should ever occur. Living in a democratic society entails respect for opposing opinions.” The principal says that no disrespect was intended towards either the family or the military, but she did assert that “Our commitment is always to our children and creating a safe place for them to learn, grown and have respectful dialogues about their differences.” ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website (CBS) undefined |
Foreigners traveling to the United States without a visa would be asked to provide the government with their social media handles under a new proposal from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The optional question on arrival and departure forms would ask about a traveler’s “social media identifier," but not passwords. People could leave it blank. The extra information would be used for vetting and contact information, according to the proposal. “Collecting social media data will enhance the existing investigative process and provide [the Department of Homeland Security] greater clarity and visibility to possible nefarious activity and connections by providing an additional tool set which analysts and investigators may use to better analyze and investigate the case,” according to the proposal. The proposed change was published in the Federal Register on Thursday, giving the public 60 days to comment. The change would apply to arrival and departure forms that most foreigners traveling to the United States without a visa must fill out. The change would also apply to foreign nationals traveling through the visa waiver program, which was recently updated after terror attacks last year in Paris. The visa waiver program allows citizens from 38 countries to travel to the United States for business or vacation for up to 90 days without first getting a visa. It was recently updated to bar people from using the expedited program if they recently traveled to Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Iraq, Sudan or Syria. There are some limited exceptions. In recent years, the government has keyed in on social media as a valuable tool and has partially blamed it for the spread and recruitment of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Realizing social media holds a cache of important information, the government has begun incorporating social media during background checks of employees looking to obtain security clearance. At the moment, the government does not require employees to hand over their social media handles during security clearance reviews, because officials say it could skirt the line of civil liberties. Some lawmakers have questioned that. “What would be the negative of just asking, hey, do you post online under any type of pseudonym?” asked Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) during a hearing last month. |
Just in case anyone was still unconvinced that Fox News is a shameless purveyor of propaganda that peddles its dishonest tripe in a manner that is patently biased, take a look at these treatments of a recent headline story: It’s not bad enough that Fox News tries to associate a violent, mentally ill criminal with the Occupy Wall Street movement despite the police stating unequivocally that there was no evidence of any connection, but Fox also has to rewrite the story for their Latino news division in a manner that features the race of the suspect even though it is irrelevant to the story. Nice job, Fox. You have now insulted a broad-based protest movement whose goals are shared by 70% of the American people, as well as the nation’s fastest growing minority group. Keep up the good work. |
A district court judge on Thursday told the Chicago Transit Authority it could not refuse to carry ads for mature games, granting the Entertainment Software Association's request for a preliminary injunction against the metropolitan transportation system. In a 22-page ruling, US District Court Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer said the gaming industry lobby is likely to prevail in its assertion that a policy prohibiting ads for M- or AO-rated games is an unconstitutional abridgement of free speech. A final ruling hasn't been issued yet, but a judge is finding a lot to agree with in the ESA's case against the CTA. The policy was adopted last January, in response to a minor controversy. In the lead-up to Grand Theft Auto IV's April 2008 debut on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, a Chicago news channel reported on a series of ads for the open-world action game appearing on public transit buildings and buses. The CTA pulled the ads, fearful of public outcry, and in response, GTAIV publisher Take-Two Interactive sued the transit authority. The suit was eventually settled with an agreement for the CTA to rerun the ads later that year. The CTA adopted its current game-specific advertising policy on January 1, 2009, and the ESA filed suit to have that guideline declared unconstitutional the following July. In its argument, the ESA noted that CTA buses have carried potentially disagreeable advertising many times before, including advertisements for an atheism advocacy group's campaign against organized religion and "Puppetry of the Penis," an experimental theater production. The judge was particularly skeptical of the CTA's decision to single out games for more stringent advertising guidelines than its fellow entertainment media. "Video games consist of a tiny fraction of the media violence to which children are exposed," the judge wrote. "Yet the CTA's ordinance singles out only video game advertisements for regulation, while granting carte blanche to a wide range of advertisements for other forms of media that may depict similar violence and may be similarly rated for age appropriateness. If an advertiser sought to place identical advertisements for an R-rated film and an M-rated video game of the same name--both with the same characters, based on the same storyline, and containing the same depictions of violence--the ad for the video game would be banned while the ad for the film would be displayed." In defending its policy, the CTA said the government had a compelling interest in limiting speech related to M-rated and AO-rated game ads due to a correlation between youth aggression and violent games. That's the same justification used by states like California, Illinois, and Louisiana in their heretofore unsuccessful bids to establish state laws to keep violent games out of children's hands. The ESA hailed the preliminary injunction, with the organization's president and CEO Michael Gallagher issuing a statement calling it a victory for the gaming industry, the people of Chicago, and the First Amendment itself. "It is our hope that the CTA sees the futility of pursuing this case further," Gallagher said. "To do so will waste taxpayer money and government resources. Chicago deserves better and we look forward to bringing this matter to an end." |
Profile on Chris Pangilinan Director of Technology & Rider Engagement at TransitCenter Interview location: TransitCenter Office and Obao Restaurant in New York City How we got there: On the A Train In one word, he describes himself as “Relentless.” When Chris Pangilinan was a little kid, riding in the backseat of his family’s station wagon, the red stoplights annoyed him. “I would think, Why is this so inefficient? Why do we have to stop all the time?” he recalls. Today, we are sitting in a conference room at TransitCenter, a non-profit organization that conducts research and advocates to improve public transportation. It’s Chris’s first week on the job. The building is on the southern tip of Manhattan, a two-block walk from the Hudson River and Battery Park, with a view of the Statue of Liberty. “Even as a ten-year-old,” he continues, “I’m concerned about the gas we’re wasting in the car and the pollution this is causing. I thought, There’s gotta be a better way.” The more he talks about it, the more Chris’s career as a civil engineer and urban planner, and his focus on public transit, seem predestined. His father drove a bus for TriMet Transit Agency for 27 years in Portland, Oregon, where Chris grew up. “I’d ride his bus for fun every now and again,” says Chris. “So I’m sure that bled off on me somehow.” His mother worked in transportation, too, as a travel agent for Philippine Airlines (his parents moved from the Philippines to Portland in 1979, three years before he was born). “I’m not sure what part of your brain makes you do this,” says Chris, “but I was just infatuated with transportation.” One video game, in particular, fed his infatuation. “Have you ever played SimCity?” he asks me. I tell him I haven’t. “Well,” he says, “as most urban planners in their twenties or thirties will nod their heads to, when SimCity came out, I was like, Oh my God. That game is a sandbox. All the stuff I complain about in real life, I can make right in this game as a benevolent dictator.” Because I’m unfamiliar with SimCity—and videogames in general—Chris elaborates. Running his hands over the white table between us, he tells me the game gives a player “a blank canvas with the tools to build a city.” For a person like Chris, SimCity was revolutionary. Before its release, most popular videogames had been violent. “People were like, Are you really going to make money selling a game where no one dies?” He never considered the field of public transit as more than a hobby until his freshman year at Portland State University, where he took an elective class in urban planning, and he got hooked. His professor, Robert Bertini, became a mentor. “He was just super warm and welcoming and always willing to give up his time for his students,” says Chris. It was Professor Bertini who encouraged Chris to apply to grad school. “To the best,” says Chris. “He said, ‘Don’t sell yourself short.’ I was like, MIT? That’s for other people. But because he believed in me, I applied and got in.” When Chris began grad school in Boston, it was the first time he had ever lived outside his parents’ home. Chris, who has cerebral palsy, has never been able to walk without crutches. Today he uses a wheelchair, though, and depending on the city, he can either drive or ride a tricycle, to which he straps crutches with a bungee cord. “Boston was a real test,” he says. “I was worried I couldn’t do it on my own.” But, with the support of cool roommates and a lot of persistence, he learned to go grocery shopping and do all the other household tasks required of life outside his family home. “It proved adulthood would be fine,” he says. “A lot of people don’t have to think about that.” Since graduating from MIT with a master’s degree in civil engineering focused on public transportation, Chris has tried out four other cities—Chicago, DC, San Francisco, and now New York. “Which city’s public transit most impressed you?” I ask. “It’s kind of cliché,” he says, “But New York: the way that they move eight million people a day on buses and subways. The way that life is oriented around public transportation for most people. It runs 24/7. It’s a miracle that the subway is able to be maintained at all.” Just a day earlier, he says, he attended an event with the Young Professionals of Transportation, where the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)’s president, Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim, delivered the keynote address. “She said, ‘You can’t change the tire on your bicycle when you’re riding it 24/7. You have to take a break from your bike for at least ten minutes,’” he recalls. “But the problem is, you can’t take a break in New York because people have jobs 24/7.” Though Chris always knew he wanted to work in transportation, he says that the majority of people he meets in the industry “fell into it” and have extremely diverse backgrounds. He mentions a colleague he admires from the MTA who used to be a high school teacher and play in a band that toured all over the United States. I ask what he thinks transit professionals have in common. “We all care about the city,” he replies. “We see transit as a tool to make cities better.” “And why would a young person want to work in transit?” I ask. “’Cause it affects them every day,” he says without hesitation. “It’s very satisfying to be in a profession where you can have actual, tangible effects on things. Instead of just complaining about, ‘Why is the bus late all the time? Those idiots need to run the bus better.’ Well, guess what? You can actually be the idiot that you’re insulting. You can be that person and make a change. You can find out how it works and make it better. I think that’s a lot better than just living through it and not doing anything.” Before we head to lunch, Chris pulls out his phone to check the MTA’s webpage for an updated elevator status. He has to do this before any subway trip. “So the New York City subway isn’t that wheelchair accessible,” he says. “It’s old.” The first New York subway ran in 1908, some 82 years before the first President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act. “About 20 percent of the stations have elevators,” says Chris. He’s dragging his finger across his iPhone when suddenly he frowns. “Oh,” he says, shaking his head. The elevator at Bowling Green Station, where we hope to catch the train, is out of service. “It must’ve just broken down,” he says. “It was working this morning when I came to work.” Instead of Bowling Green, we have to go to Fulton Street—about a ten-minute, uphill walk. “That’s okay,” Chris reassures me. “It’s just gonna add a little time and effort.” Leaving the office, he nods to the building next door, the MTA Headquarters. “That’s my old office,” he says, “So you can see my commute didn’t change.” There’s a crowd of tourists across Broadway taking pictures of the Charging Bull sculpture—all 7,000 pounds of bronze—one block before the New York Stock Exchange. “Is it frustrating when you check and see the elevator’s out?” I ask. “Oh, definitely,” he replies. “It’s not as frustrating as finding out the hard way, but yeah, absolutely. I’m trying to figure out what to do about it.” The incline is steep, and Chris is out of breath. “One second,” he says. “When I get to the top of this hill, I can talk.” A minute later, he continues. “My philosophy is that the MTA is already lacking elevators—which is fine, because it’s very expensive to build them—but that means that the elevators we do have need to be reliable, and they’re not.” He keeps a detailed log of the broken elevators that affect his journey. “This one is number 191 in the past 18 months that I’ve encountered,” he says, pushing the wheels of his chair forcefully with black-gloved hands. “That is completely unacceptable.” He tells me that Boston’s MBTA was sued in a class-action lawsuit over a similar matter in 2002. “They’ve gotten their act together since,” says Chris. “They’ve done a good job.” A massive truck is turning in front of us, and the driver motions for us to cross. I ask Chris if he worries about being in a lower line of sight. “Yeah, that’s a danger,” he says. “Drivers might not see me as well. It hasn’t caused me a problem yet, but I have to be mindful.” In his experience, curbs pose greater challenges than traffic. One time, he explains, he was returning to the office from lunch with a takeout meal sitting in his lap. “I wasn’t paying attention, and I was going over a curb that I’d gone over multiple times,” he says. “There was a crack in it, though. I nailed the crack, stopped cold, and I went out of the chair, and my food went flying everywhere.” He pauses, reliving the scene in memory. “I wasn’t hurt except for my pride, and I lost my lunch,” he continues. “But all these people stopped and helped me. And the sandwich shop across the street gave me lunch on the house.” He is smiling. “That was nice.” At Fulton Street Station, we take two elevators underground. In the second elevator, a woman in a mechanical wheelchair is riding with us. As we sink to the platform, a train is arriving. “Look at this timing,” says Chris. When the doors open, he picks up speed approaching the big gap between the platform and train. I wince, and want to close my eyes. But Chris leans back and clears the gap like it’s nothing. “That’s a big jump,” I say, sitting in an open seat. “Yeah, it’s a big gap,” he says as the subway doors close, then reopen for a moment and close again. “They have wheelchair boarding areas,” he explains. “But we’re not in a wheelchair boarding area right now, so I had to jump that gap. And that woman behind us in the mechanical chair—she cannot make the jump, so she was probably rushing to the middle area. I think they opened the doors for her, which is good, but if they weren’t to open the doors for her, we would’ve taken off, and she, and I, and you—who were in the same elevator—would be in different trains. Crazy, right?” At his home station, he tells me, he has to clear an especially large gap if he doesn’t get on in the middle. “I have to hit it just right,” he says. “I can board it—I don’t know—60 percent of the time? That’s why I only try if I have no choice.” I ask about the other 40 percent of his attempts. “What I like is that people are very aware of other people in New York. People see me try and fail, and they’ll get up, grab my chair, and pull me in.” By the time Chris says thank you to the Good Samaritan, usually he or she is immersed in another world. “They won’t even be looking at me,” says Chris, chuckling. “They’ll be back on their phone. It’s great.” We take the A Train uptown. Chris takes inventory of our car, first scanning the advertisements, then looking at the people. “I’m always fascinated by the idea—here we are, 40 of us on the subway car,” he says, “And ten minutes ago all of our lives are different—and they’re intersecting right here. Why?” At our stop at 42nd Street, we have to ascend a steep ramp. “Let me know if I can help,” I say, walking behind and wondering if I should offer to push. “Are there things that people do trying to help, but actually it’s annoying?” I ask. “People who start pushing me in the back without saying anything,” he says. “I totally get it’s out of the goodness of their heart. But I don’t go up to you and push you in the back if you’re walking slowly. Plus I do like to get the exercise.” At the top of the ramp is an elevator lift. “I apologize in advance,” Chris says. “We’re about to go into the smelliest elevator in New York.” I tell him I don’t have a really sensitive sense of smell. A minute later, stepping inside, I’m wrapped in a muggy embrace that reeks of urine, excrement, and a touch of bleach. “Wow,” I say, coughing. “That goes straight to the back of your throat.” Chris nods, and we hold our breaths for rest of the mercifully short ride. Out in the open air, we have two blocks before getting to Obao Restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen. Chris has made a reservation, but the table the restaurant has held for us is up a couple of stairs, so we wait until an accessible table opens up. “One thing I keep saying I wanna do, but haven’t done yet,” he says, “is come up with a guide to New York for people with disabilities.” Restaurants, stores, and bars could have a five-star rating system. “Five stars, fully accessible,” imagines Chris. “Three stars, somewhat accessible but no accessible bathrooms.” I ask what resources he has now to figure out where he can go in the city. “I use Google Street View a lot,” he says. “I’ll zoom in and see if there are stairs. Sometimes Yelp will say if it’s accessible or not, but not always.” He emphasizes again that because it’s such an old city, most places weren’t built to accommodate people with wheelchairs. “It’s already expensive to live here,” he says, “but if you narrow down the filter to new construction, you’re at a higher price point. But new construction is the only thing that’s accessible. I’m not living in a Brooklyn walk-up.” He rattles off a few other challenges of the city—snow and rain, broken elevators—then is silent. “For anyone—regardless of if they have a disability—New York is a hard place to live,” he concedes. “But I don’t like to hear that I can’t do something. The best way to get me to do something is tell me I can’t do it, and I’ll prove you wrong.” (Incidentally, I learn over lunch, this is also the philosophy that led Chris to become a pilot of a Cessna 172—he has over 100 flight hours—and go skydiving.) As he lists the difficulties of living in New York with a disability, his expression changes from disappointed to determined. “It’s sort of the Mount Everest,” he concludes, smiling. “I’m gonna climb it.” Over appetizers, I notice Chris’s watch, which he tells me was a gift from his girlfriend. “The official watch of the Swiss Railways,” he says. “It’s a big transportation nerd thing. When they see the band, they all know what the watch is.” As we talk, Chris gives me further insight into his favorite gatherings of fellow transportation nerds. One major convening is Transportation Camp, a growing enterprise that started in New York and DC in 2011 and is spreading to other cities. “There’s one this Saturday in Kansas City,” he says. But DC is the biggest. “We all make our pilgrimage toward the end of January,” he says. “It’s on the front end of the main Transportation Research Board Conference,” an annual academic conference that runs from Sunday to Thursday. “Camp’s on Saturday,” he says. “And if you’re really enthusiastic, the World Bank has their own conference on transportation the Thursday and Friday afterwards, which is free. So it’s a whole week of transportation.” As much as he adores Transportation Camp, Chris acknowledges that the “biggest display of transit knowledge and nerdfest ever” happens at an annual Transit Trivia Contest. The contest is hosted by the New York Transit Museum, a decommissioned subway station in Brooklyn repurposed to house artifacts from the city’s long history in transit. “Next time you’re in New York, you should go,” he suggests. Last year, Chris’s team placed third out of 30. When I ask Chris to provide some example trivia questions, he asks me how I got to his office. “I took the B and R,” I say. “B to the R,” he says. “You transferred at 34th Street.” I nod. “See, that’s a Transit Trivia thing, too.” The bonus round in Transit Trivia, he explains, combines movie trivia with transit. For instance, from plot hints, you have to come up with two movies—let’s say, “John Q” and “Seven.” “Then you have to think, Okay, Q and 7—where do they intersect? Oh, Queensboro Plaza. And that’s the answer… and only the hardest-core of the transit nerds can get that.” In this moment, I decide that I will never be competing in Transit Trivia, but I’d like to be a spectator. When we leave the restaurant, preparing to part ways, we get onto my favorite topic of conversation, which is ice cream. Chris asks me my favorite flavor. “Probably cookie dough,” I say. “But anything with chocolate.” “I had to give up chocolate about ten years ago,” he says. “I’m allergic.” “You’re allergic to chocolate?” I ask. The prospect sounds devastating. He’s nodding. He explains it’s a chemical called theobromine. “The same thing that kills dogs,” he says. “It’s the worst thing ever. I know what chocolate tastes like, and I know what I’m missing.” “Oh my gosh,” I say, searching for words. “Honestly this is the first time in the whole afternoon I’ve felt sorry for you.” Chris folds over in laughter. “That’s hilarious,” he says. “You saw me almost fall getting on the subway. The elevator was broken … but no sympathy until I can’t eat chocolate. I’m gonna remember that one.” We hug, and he points me toward the subway stop I need, at Columbus Circle. Above us, the sky is full of dark clouds. I worry about the rain, and he’s not concerned. “I think we’ll be okay,” he says. And I totally believe him. People Who Move People is a web series profiling individuals who have made an impact in public transit. The series has been initiated and funded by RouteMatch Software, an Atlanta-based company who is passionate about transit and proud to record these stories. |
I (rovo89) consider Xposed as a hobby project that I don't expect to get paid for. However, many people have asked for ways to donate to me to say "thank you" for making their tech life a bit more enjoyable and comfortable. So here is a PayPal donation link: If you have any Bitcoins to spare, feel free to send them to 1uAEzZrfJt96UHYQheUUC8gSp2TJdwdw3. Please consider: The existence of this link doesn't mean that you have to donate. It's fine if you just click "Thanks" on XDA or enjoy Xposed without saying anything. Please donate only if you want to thank me for the work I have done already, not in expectation of any future work. A donation doesn't entitle you for preferred/private support, feature and ROM support requests. As mentioned, it's only meant as a "thank you" gift. Some modules have paid/donation versions. Donating here is unrelated to these modules and will not unlock their premium features. If you still decide to donate - thank you, it's very much appreciated! |
From an article on jet lag, the story of Sarah Krasnoff’s fatal jet setting: One day in 1971, a woman called Sarah Krasnoff made off with her 14-year-old grandson, who was caught up in an unseemly custody dispute, and took him into the sky. In a plane, she knew, they were subject to no laws, and if they never stopped moving, the law could never catch up with them. They flew from New York to Amsterdam. When they arrived, they turned around and flew from Amsterdam to New York. Then they flew from New York to Amsterdam again, and from Amsterdam to New York, again and again and again, month after month. They took about 160 flights in all, one after the other, according to the stage piece “Jet Lag.” They saw 22 movies an average of seven times each. They ate lunch again and again and turned their watches six hours forward, then six hours back. The whole fugitive enterprise ended when Krasnoff, 74, finally collapsed and died, the victim, doctors could only suppose, of terminal jet lag. |
Rose Quartz is pretty, but aside from a pale blush, eyeshadow, I can’t see it in makeup. Sephora always does a collection of silly things that more often than not end up in their Sale section until, heavens, the following holiday season. In fact, I’m trying to figure out this year’s collection… Rose Quartz: Pantone Color of the Year 2016 Rose Quartz (via the Wayback Machine) lipstick is not reviewed favorably, with many buyers reporting sheer application, lack of pigmentation, and an inconsistent formula. I’m not seeing any reliable looks with it on its own; it needs to be married to a liner or other lipcolor to be remotely useful. Shame, considering it’s supposed to be a, “high coverage, pigment-loaded,” shade. At $18, nope. Serenity: Pantone Color of the Year 2016 Serenity (via the Wayback Machine) is a pale blue that reminds me of Periwinkle. It is matte, and seems to be opaque, but still isn’t doing so hot on the ratings chart. It isn’t a look I’m interested in, personally, but it doesn’t seem to be a complete disappointment if you’re into blue-hued lips. The Modern Watercolors Lip Gloss Set (via the Wayback Machine) is fun to look at! It, unfortunately, also does not have great reviews – but I suspect in this case that those are coming from customers who didn’t understand what they were buying. Most, “boo!” reviews are complaining of lack of opacity. I’m over here like, “You know what watercolor paints look like, right?” Of course they aren’t opaque. The formula itself, how it feels, seems to be doing well, but people aren’t thrilled with $28 of novelty-factor glosses. Finally, you’ve got the Modern Watercolors Eye Palette (via the Wayback Machine). The twenty-four shade palette is brighter, overall, than I expected given its name. I like the fact that they’ve done an overlay with the shadow names, but that’s about all I like. I very much so get the impression that this palette is a $39 gimmick. If you want brights, there are better palettes to get them in than this one. Leave Rose Quartz to nail polish (would be a sure-fire hit!) or jewelry (very lovely!), and Serenity to paint and things. |
Asynchronous HTTP Requests in Python 3.5+ November 11, 2016 So you’ve heard that Python now supports that fancy async/await syntax. You want to play with it, but asyncio seems intimidating. Well, someone wrote a simpler alternative to asyncio. It’s called Curio and people are saying good things about it. In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to make non-blocking HTTP requests using Curio. Since it doesn’t have a high-level HTTP client yet, I whipped up a small library called curio-http , so you’ll need to install that as well. The syntax Let’s start with a single request: import curio import curio_http async def main (): async with curio_http . ClientSession () as session : response = await session . get ( 'https://httpbin.org/get' ) print ( 'Status code:' , response . status_code ) content = await response . json () print ( 'Content:' , content ) if __name__ == '__main__' : curio . run ( main ()) You use async def to declare what’s called a coroutine. The last line — curio.run(main()) — kicks off the coroutine. What’s inside the main coroutine should look familiar, if you’ve ever used the requests library. At each point where await is called, the coroutine could theoretically yield control to a different coroutine. However, since there are no other coroutines here, the script behaves roughly like a synchronous program: Create an HTTP session. Make an HTTP request. Wait for the response headers. Print the response status code. Wait for the response content. Print the content. Achieving concurrency To reap the benefits of asynchronous I/O, it’s not enough to sprinkle our programs with the async and await keywords. We need to encode which operations can be executed independently (concurrent) and which need to happen one after the other (sequential). Sequential execution: response1 = await session . get ( 'https://foo.com' ) response2 = await session . get ( 'https://bar.com' ) Concurrent execution: taks1 = await curio . spawn ( session . get ( 'https://foo.com' )) task2 = await curio . spawn ( session . get ( 'https://bar.com' )) curio.spawn() is how you express the idea “I want this coroutine to be executed in the background”. The thing that’s spawned is what Curio calls a task. Let’s look at an example that fetches a list of URLs concurrently by spawning a task for each one: import curio import curio_http async def fetch_one ( url ): async with curio_http . ClientSession () as session : response = await session . get ( url ) content = await response . json () return response , content async def main ( url_list ): tasks = [] for url in url_list : task = await curio . spawn ( fetch_one ( url )) tasks . append ( task ) for task in tasks : response , content = await task . join () print ( 'GET % s' % response . url ) print ( content ) print () url_list = [ 'http://httpbin.org/delay/1' , 'http://httpbin.org/delay/2' , 'http://httpbin.org/delay/3' , 'http://httpbin.org/delay/4' , ] if __name__ == '__main__' : curio . run ( main ( url_list )) Each URL in the list takes a number of seconds to fetch. If we were to fetch them sequentially, it would take 1+2+3+4=10 seconds in total. Since we’re using tasks, the run time will only be around 4 seconds. Controlling concurrency What if we want to scrape a site, but we don’t want to hammer it with too many concurrent connections? The simplest approach is to use what’s called a bounded semaphore. Let’s see what changes we would need to make to the above example: import curio import curio_http +MAX_CONNECTIONS_PER_HOST = 2 + +sema = curio.BoundedSemaphore(MAX_CONNECTIONS_PER_HOST) + async def fetch_one(url): - async with curio_http.ClientSession() as session: + async with sema, curio_http.ClientSession() as session: response = await session.get(url) content = await response.json() return response, content Here, we’re using not one, but two context managers: the semaphore and the HTTP session. The semaphore is aquired each time a task is started. It’s released right after the URL has finished being fetched. If more than MAX_CONNECTIONS tasks have already aquired the semaphore, the next task that tries to aquire it will wait until a release happens. To learn about more neat features of Curio, such as timeout handling and events, check out the excellent introductory tutorial. I hope this has given you a glimpse of what modern async I/O can look like in Python. All of the libraries used in this tutorial are in a very early state right now, but I think they have a lot of potential. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus |
Attorney of man accused of aggravated battery says his client was acting in self defense. Surveillance video obtained exclusively by the Herald-Tribune appears to buttress claims by the attorney for a 22-year-old Sarasota man involved in a "road rage" shooting on Monday who says his client was only acting in self defense. Christian James Gunter, a maintenance worker at a Sarasota County club, faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon for allegedly shooting Roger Atlas, 59, at the Sunoco gas station, 5808 S. Tamiami Trail. If convicted, Gunter could face a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison under Florida's 10-20-Life Law. But Gunter's defense attorney, Jeffrey Young, says the shooting is a classic example of a "Stand Your Ground" defense. "If you look at the video, it clearly shows the alleged victim was the aggressor, and that my client was defending himself, in a public place where he had a right to be, with no duty to retreat, and that he was attacked unprovoked," Young said. "This is a 'Stand Your Ground' case and we look forward to proving it in court." The surveillance video appears to support the attorney's claims, while raising questions about the official version of events. According to Sheriff's Office reports, Atlas told a detective he was driving south on Tamiami Trail at about 6:12 p.m. Monday when his Ford Taurus began jerking because of overheating. Atlas said he stopped at a red light at Ivanhoe Street, near Walt's Fish Market. Gunter, Atlas said, pulled up to his driver side window on a motorcycle and began arguing with him about his driving. He said he told Gunter he was having vehicle issues and that it was none of his business. Atlas drove on when the light turned green and told detectives that Gunter continued to follow him, the report states. Gunter drove to the gas station, and Atlas arrived a short time later. The official version The Sheriff's Office report indicates that Gunter was stopped at the gas pumps when Atlas came toward him. According to the official report, "Atlas said he approached the subject (Gunter) and verbally confronted the subject in regards to following him. Atlas stated that during the verbal altercation, the subject pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and pointed it at his chest." Detectives wrote in their report that Atlas told them he grabbed Gunter's handgun, and that while the two were struggling, "the subject discharged the firearm and Atlas was struck once in the lower left abdomen." Atlas was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital with injuries that were not considered life threatening. Gunter invoked his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, was arrested at the gas station and taken to the Sarasota County jail. "The footage was reviewed and showed Gunter pull up to pump #3. Atlas pulls his vehicle up to Gunter and a physical altercation ensues," the report states. "During the physical altercation, video shows Atlas wince." Atlas returned to his car and drove to the other end of the gas station parking lot. Gunter ran inside, told the cashier he had just shot someone and asked that the cashier call 911. The video The video shows a different version of events. It shows Gunter about to put gas in his motorcycle when Atlas pulls up near him. It shows Atlas, who weighs 180 pounds, grab Gunter, who weighs 125 pounds, by the shoulders and throw him to the ground, knocking over his motorcycle. The video then shows Gunter draw his pistol, point it at Atlas and begin backing away. Atlas moves forward toward Gunter, who continues to back away from the larger man, until he is shot. It does not show any struggle over the firearm. Asked about the discrepancies between the report and the video, Sarasota County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Col. Kurt Hoffman said, "Detectives are still working on the case, so we can't comment on the investigation." Atlas could not be reached immediately for comment. Gunter remains in the Sarasota County jail, held on $50,000 bail. |
This has been a big week for weird business news. Ikea rolled out veggie meatballs in most U.S. stores, Burger King sponsored the wedding of Joel Burger and Ashley King and “Price is Right” model Manuela Arbeláez accidently gave away a $21,960 car to a contestant. Here are some more odd stories that you might have missed: Taco Bell on Fleek Taco Bell is going Hipster. They’re trying to appeal to Millennials, hard. The Yum-brands owned company recently released a 1984-esque film bashing McDonalds breakfast food, created sriracha-inspired meals and even told the world via Twitter that they’re on fleek (that’s Millennial speak for on point). Now the company has announced that they will start opening restaurants inside of shipping containers and…ready for this? Start a delivery service…Congratulations Taco Bell; you’ve just brought Netflix binges to the next level. People of Walmart Port Richey, a small city in the Tampa area of Florida has a crime problem and it all stems from the local Walmart. According to police statistics 46% of crime in the city comes from the super store. Police Captain Bill Fergison is sick of it. “We have some problems with shoplifting, pick-pocketing, some of the cars are broken into," he says. "We do have some domestic incidences, and some road-rage incidents in the parking lot." Police typically respond to problems at the store twice a day. Police surveillance showed one 77-year old woman getting into a fight over a parking spot, hitting a man with her car and driving around the parking lot with him on the hood. Maybe she was just excited about the everyday low prices? Police are currently working with Walmart officials to come up with a crime reduction plan. In a statement to Bay 9 News, Walmart officals wrote, “Our asset protection team does a great job in identifying people who break the law in our stores which demonstrates that Walmart is the wrong place to attempt these crimes. And while Walmart is effective at detecting these crimes, we will continue to collaborate with local police to focus on crime prevention." Missing house Hold on to your houses! But seriously…be careful. This week a family in eastern Washington was baffled to find that their vacation cabin was missing. “We drove up to the cabin and the cabin was gone, it was just an empty hole where it used to sit,” said owner Chris Hempel. “We’re just kind of at a loss right now. Like, seriously?” But fear not, just three days after the cabin went missing it was found a few miles away, stolen via flatbed truck by people who intended to live in it. Police say they have identified the likely suspects. Get the Latest Market Data and News with the Yahoo Finance App More weird business news: Glenn Beck makes women's jeans, Pizza Hut sued over croutons: Weird business news McDonald's goes high-fashion, why Spotify should thank One Direction: This week's weird business news Seattle responds to bus drivers wearing diapers by hiring bathroom czar and other weird business news Burger King perfume, adult preschool and Mr. T wants to redo your home: Weird business news |
Blinn Profile Blog Joined March 2009 United Kingdom 68 Posts Last Edited: 2010-12-13 03:19:11 #1 *NEWS! NEWS! NEWS!* 1.1 is released with 2 awesome new minigames! *NEWS! NEWS! NEWS!* Raynor Party is a collection of frantic minigames for up to 8 players where each player competes to be crowned King of the Party. They range in style and pace from the twitchy Hungry Hungry Ultralisk to the strategic, methodical Edmund Duke's Jungle Warfare. Watch the above video to see them in action if you haven't already, or read the following descriptions to get yourself hype! -------------------------------- Singularity Showdown -------------------------------- You control a ghost- a top scientist working directly under Jim Raynor at the Harvard Institute of Astrophysics. Each ghost is in a state of quantum entanglement with one vortex allowing you to direct the path of your vortex- use this power to KILL PEOPLE. "Quick, swallow them up in your vortex, gobble them up, ayum yum yum!" -Lorde Igmund de la Fish, Esq. -------------------------------- Rocket Buggy Rumble -------------------------------- Shoot rockets with your Rocket Buggy! You can move while shooting so stay on the move- pick up the Power Pear to launch an additional special rocket, the Acceleration Apple to speed yourself up or the Stealth Strawberry to be concealed. "I'ma blow you up with my iced-out modded hellion, don't mess with the best. G UNIT" -50 Cent, Assistant to Prof. Raynor. -------------------------------- Edmund Duke's Jungle Warfare -------------------------------- Use your siege tank and observer to outwit opponents- positioning and patience are key. "In a dense jungle, nutrition is king. Never has this been more true than for Edmund Duke, during his brief stint on Bel'Shir, where he developed a love for bananas. Follow in his footsteps by being the first to chomp down on those tasty potassium-filled treats." -Jacobi Henderson, historian. Tassadar Teaches Typing -------------------------------- Improve your 1v1 ladder play by practicing typing words and phrases from the original Starcraft and Brood War script, all the lines are in there! "Actions Per Minute are directly proportional to Words Per Minute! We cannot guarantee you will improve to diamond level as a result of playing this minigame." -The Great Tassadar May He Rest in Peace Marauder Free Radio -------------------------------- Compete with opponents to avoid artillery fire and scupper them with concussive shells. "Marauders marooned in a maroon desert. Somebody needs to phone home and tell the General to stop shelling the surrounding area but nobody seems to want to do it!" -Tychus "Vandelay" Findlay Hungry Hungry Ultralisk -------------------------------- You control a stalker; avoid being left holding the pineapple as the ultralisk crashes around this old temple. "The banana is to the siege tank as the pineapple is to the ultralisk. This old proverb has been known for years, but in this minigame you will learn that it is equally profound and true." -F. Scott Fitzgerald Baneling Pain Fling -------------------------------- You control a sentry, avoid the banelings and use forcefields to redirect their flow into your opponents. "Aaah!! Banelings!!!!! Everywhere, banelings! Run away, quickly, use force fields to block the entrances..... They're coming from all sides!! Retreat, retreat. They're closing in on Rupert.... use a force field to block his escape! Mwahaha." -Sentry #43 Lurker Rally: Extreme -------------------------------- You control a lurker, hide underground to avoid the enemies and race to the end- quick as you can, now; chop chop! "Ayumyum, I eat marines like you for breakfast! This sure is extreme!" -A friendly lurker En Taro Kaboom -------------------------------- You control a Dark Templar; use his powerful psionic abilities to launch opponents off the cliffs. "I ain't played a game this darn-tootin' since I lived on the pig farm back on Aiur, yeehaw! Knock them scallawags off the temple quick smart or I'll take my belt to you, boy!" -Zeratul Raynor's Rangers: ... Hidden Dangers -------------------------------- Lay traps with your marine while avoiding walking into opponent's traps! The objective is to reach the opposite beacon while not getting blown up. Use various traps to launch enemies into dangerous situations or propel yourself to victory. "Oh no! My rangers appear to have gotten themselves into some danger.... some hidden danger!" -Professor J. Raynor, Harvard Institute of Astrophysics -------------------------------- Thanks for reading; please try our map by searching for "Raynor Party" worldwide and let us know what you think- also attempt to solve the minigame within a minigame of finding each crow. There is one hidden in every level! Shout outs to the Goatshow, Clan Towa/Brotoss and Clan MoMM. is a collection of frantic minigames for up to 8 players where each player competes to be crowned King of the Party. They range in style and pace from the twitchy Hungry Hungry Ultralisk to the strategic, methodical Edmund Duke's Jungle Warfare. Watch the above video to see them in action if you haven't already, or read the following descriptions to get yourself hype!----------------------------------------------------------------You control a ghost- a top scientist working directly under Jim Raynor at the Harvard Institute of Astrophysics. Each ghost is in a state of quantum entanglement with one vortex allowing you to direct the path of your vortex- use this power to KILL PEOPLE.-Lorde Igmund de la Fish, Esq.----------------------------------------------------------------Shoot rockets with your Rocket Buggy! You can move while shooting so stay on the move- pick up the Power Pear to launch an additional special rocket, the Acceleration Apple to speed yourself up or the Stealth Strawberry to be concealed.-50 Cent, Assistant to Prof. Raynor.----------------------------------------------------------------Use your siege tank and observer to outwit opponents- positioning and patience are key.-Jacobi Henderson, historian.--------------------------------Improve your 1v1 ladder play by practicing typing words and phrases from the original Starcraft and Brood War script, all the lines are in there!-The Great Tassadar May He Rest in Peace--------------------------------Compete with opponents to avoid artillery fire and scupper them with concussive shells.-Tychus "Vandelay" Findlay--------------------------------You control a stalker; avoid being left holding the pineapple as the ultralisk crashes around this old temple.-F. Scott Fitzgerald--------------------------------You control a sentry, avoid the banelings and use forcefields to redirect their flow into your opponents.-Sentry #43--------------------------------You control a lurker, hide underground to avoid the enemies and race to the end- quick as you can, now; chop chop!-A friendly lurker--------------------------------You control a Dark Templar; use his powerful psionic abilities to launch opponents off the cliffs.-Zeratul--------------------------------Lay traps with your marine while avoiding walking into opponent's traps! The objective is to reach the opposite beacon while not getting blown up. Use various traps to launch enemies into dangerous situations or propel yourself to victory.-Professor J. Raynor, Harvard Institute of Astrophysics--------------------------------Thanks for reading; please try our map by searching for "Raynor Party" worldwide and let us know what you think- also attempt to solve the minigame within a minigame of finding each crow. There is one hidden in every level! Shout outs to the Goatshow, Clan Towa/Brotoss and Clan MoMM. 2 Fav Things? Team Melee & Bjornebryggs! |
Forget about likes and shares. You can now transfer money internationally through Facebook. The money transfer startup TransferWise has launched a new chatbot that enables Facebook (FB) users to move funds abroad using the social platform's Messenger service. The bot can be used to move money between the U.S., Canada, Australia and the European Union. It will also notify users via an alert when their regularly used currencies hit favorable rates. Facebook users were previously able to transfer money within the U.S., but not between accounts in foreign countries. More than 1 million customers transfer nearly $1 billion each month with London-based TransferWise. The startup, which counts venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and Virgin founder Richard Branson as investors, is valued at an estimated $1.1 billion. TransferWise helps users avoid costly fees incurred when moving funds across borders. It does so by allowing customers to transfer money into a local TransferWise bank account in their home country. The startup will then pay the same amount out from its local account in a second country of the user's choice. TransferWise is regulated by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, and the company said that its Facebook bot complies with all relevant consumer protection laws. Related: Bots are a little dumber than we hoped - for now Facebook first launched chatbots for its Messenger app last April. The bots allow users to communicate with companies in the same way they speak to their friends. They can provide everything from weather updates to personalized news updates and other services. The bots respond conversationally, and brands are increasingly using them to replace customer service agents. |
I’m going to admit something that I usually wouldn’t admit. I’m a fan of Katy Perry. I know what you’re thinking “Uh yea, I want to bang her too bro.” No, I mean, I actually know the words to her awful songs. It happened last summer during a road trip. Every 5th song on the XM station I was listening to, was KP. By the time I got through Arizona I was singing “Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top.” Long story short, being a fan of Katy Perry makes me feel ultra gay. Thus, I’m going to mask my homosexuality by posting sexy gifs and saying stuff like “damn I’d f*ck her tight ass.” When in reality, I just wanna go get a mani-pedi with her and talk about boys. Related |
Flyers right wing Jakub Voracek enters the All-Star game as the NHL’s leading scocer. (Photo: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports) When Flyers right wing Jake Voracek was traded by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the summer of 2011, most people around him saw him as untapped potential. In his first career All-Star Game, Voracek returns to Columbus three and a half years later as the NHL's scoring leader with a four-point lead on Dallas' Tyler Seguin. "I could see from the time he was a young player he had all the talent in the world," said Rick Nash, now a New York Ranger, but once teammates with Voracek in Columbus. "It was a matter of maturing and gaining confidence. He's got all the tools to be the best player in the world." Voracek doesn't quite have that status yet, but pacing the league in points a little after the halfway point isn't a bad starting place. His 58 points in 48 games have him on pace for a 96-point season. That would obliterate the career-best 62 points he had last season. The budding Czech star isn't sure he can maintain that pace, but few would be surprised if he did. "He had such a talent and ability back in junior with the heart to go along with it," said Cam Russell, Voracek's coach in juniors with the Halifax Mooseheads, where he's now the GM. "It's impossible for a guy like that with that kind of character and that kind of ability to not emerge as one of the best players." It couldn't have happened without formative years in Columbus when Voracek had 38-, 50- and 46-point seasons with the Blue Jackets before the trade. "I grew up here a little bit," Voracek admitted at Nationwide Arena Friday, the site of Sunday's All-Star Game. "I was 19 years old and this is where I lived. They made me feel comfortable and welcomed and you remember that. It's special for me to be here, of course. It's the All-Star Game. But being Columbus...that's good, too." Since Voracek's NHL career began, Russell has been watching from afar. A former defenseman who spent 11 years in the NHL, Russell actually thought Voracek would have more success earlier in his career. Russell and the Mooseheads staff aren't surprised Voracek is finding his way in Philadelphia on the top line with Claude Giroux. "We just kinda laugh about it," Russell said. "We saw it for the years he played here in Halifax. It was definitely fun to watch. The irony is we were beaten by Claude Giroux in the playoffs one year and it was Giroux versus Voracek. It's just kinda funny to see those two playing together, but the stuff he's doing in the NHL now is what he was doing in Halifax." These days, the one-time foes have created plenty of magic together. Giroux, tied for third in the league in scoring, and Voracek have become one of the league's premier duos. For quite some time, the pride of Kladno, Czechoslovakia was future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr. He might have competition in Voracek, who was a teammate for one season in Philadelphia. "It's up to him. He's got the size. He's got the strength," Jagr said. "It's up to him. If I were him, I'd work a little bit on my shooting. Wrist shots. That's what I would do. Otherwise, he doesn't have to do anything." "He's fun to play with," Giroux added. "He's playing very, very well this year. He came to camp really ready to play and lost a lot of weight. "He's still ugly," Giroux joked, "but he's pretty fast out there. He's fun to play with." Not so fun to play against, though. "There are some good duos," Nash said. "They are right up there with (Sidney) Crosby/(Evgeni) Malkin. (Joe) Thornton/(Patrick) Marleau, (Ryan) Getzlaf/(Corey) Perry. Giroux and Voracek, if they're not the best, they are right there." NHL ALL-STAR GAME • Skills competition • TV: 7 p.m. NBCSN Reach Dave Isaac at disaac@courierpostonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @davegisaac. |
The Senate on Wednesday knocked down a proposal to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act without an immediate replacement amid a chaotic string of health-care votes this week. The amendment failed by a 45-55 margin, with seven Republican senators voting against it: Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Susan Collins of Maine, Dean Heller of Nevada, John McCain of Arizona, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rob Portman of Ohio. The vote comes amid a frantic period of debate and votes this week in the Senate as Republicans push to approve some form of Obamacare repeal. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hopes the chamber can finish work on a bill by the end of the week. Later Wednesday, the Senate voted down two more proposals related to health care. The first was a motion to send the bill back to committee to strike provisions that would harm individuals with disabilities. It failed 48-51 along party lines with Republican Sen. Ron Johnson missing the vote. Only 10 senators voted for the second measure, a symbolic proposal known as the Heller amendment. It was intended to express a commitment to elements of existing law that allowed states to expand Medicaid to cover more people. GOP senators voted Tuesday by the narrowest margin to start debate on possible options to overhaul the American health-care system and follow through on a key campaign promise that has marked most of the last decade. Party divisions and skepticism from both the conservative and more moderate sides of the GOP stalled multiple pushes to repeal Obamacare in recent weeks. On Tuesday night, the Senate voted down a procedural measure seen as a proxy to gauge support for an Obamacare repeal-and-replacement plan that stalled out in the Senate in recent weeks. Nine Republicans opposed the measure, meaning it fell well short of the votes needed for approval. A separate Democratic amendment to send the health-care plan to the Senate committees with instructions to shield the Medicaid program from cuts failed by a 48-52 party-line vote. The "clean" repeal proposal the Senate rejected would have rolled back parts of the Affordable Care Act and implemented a two-year transition period for lawmakers to find a replacement. It is based on a plan that Congress passed in 2015 knowing that it would face President Barack Obama's veto. Collins was the only current Republican senator to oppose the 2015 bill. Every other GOP senator who voted against the provision Wednesday supported the 2015 repeal proposal. More moderate GOP senators have said they fear repealing without an immediate replacement because it could generate even more uncertainty in the American insurance market. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated repealing without an immediate replacementwould lead to 32 million more Americans uninsured by 2026 and cause average premiums to double. |
(CNN) Attention Target shoppers: Say goodbye to "girls' building sets" and "boys' bedding." The big box retailer announced Friday that it will start phasing out gender-based signage in some departments. The shift comes in response to customer feedback that distinguishing between products for girls and boys is unnecessary and maybe even harmful. Parents and gender equality advocates welcomed the news as a significant step with potential to inspire other retailers. "This change is a step towards removing gender limitations in childhood, but when one of the world's largest retailers does this, the ripple effect will be significant," author Melissa Atkins Wardy said in her blog, Pigtail Pals & Ballcap Buddies , which promotes gender-neutral toys, apparel and other products for children. "This change will play a role in shifting the way kids see themselves as consumers and will help to shift the way adults see the role of gender in childhood," said Wardy, author of "Redefining Girly: How Parents Can Fight the Stereotyping and Sexualizing of Girlhood, from Birth to Tween." Read More |
Former MLA T Jayaprakash Reddy alias Jagga Reddy denied the allegations of having paid money to get BJP ticket for the Medak Lok Sabha by-elections. Former MLA T Jayaprakash Reddy alias Jagga Reddy denied the allegations of having paid money to get BJP ticket for the Medak Lok Sabha by-elections. Jagga Reddy also ridiculed the TRS argument that he was a supporter of united Andhra Pradesh. He said if TRS leadership was so particular about people who opposed Telangana, then why it was making friendship with the MIM which openly opposed the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. He claimed that he began his political career from the BJP, the first party which gave the slogan of One Vote, Two States. He said he was elected as the Councillor and also served as the Chairman of Municipal Council as a BJP candidate. He said it was unethical on the part of TRS to brand him as a support of Samaikhyandhra while begging for alliance with the MIM. Addressing a press conference at State BJP office at Nampally here, Jagga Reddy slammed Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao for accusing him of buying the BJP ticket. “I would have bought the TRS ticket if I had the money,” he said and alleged that it was Kotha Prabhakar Reddy who paid a huge amount to get the TRS ticket to contest for Medak Lok Sabha seat in by-elections. The BJP leader asked Harish Rao to restrain from leveling baseless allegations. Else, he threatened to expose the TRS leaders during electioneering for Medak by-elections. The former MLA accused Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of exploiting the Telangana sentiments. He said although Telangana State was achieved due the sacrifices made by students and employees, KCR ignored both the groups and instead, gave tickets to the rich and elite including those were against Telangana. He also asked the TRS Government to stop harassing the BJP and TDP workers in the State. Jagga Reddy promised that if he gets elected from Medak Lok Sabha seat then he would ensure proper supply of power and drinking water to all the houses in Medak, irrigation water for farmers, new railway tracks, Metro Rail and other facilities. He also assured that he would make effective representations to the Centre to grant National Project status to Pranahita Chevella Dam. With BJP in power at the Centre, he said all the promises could be fulfilled with the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. |
favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite i was verrry lucky to see the Dead here on April 1 1980 - a standout show as they came out and for the first song as an April fools day gag they sat on different instruments for the opener which was promised land - am gonna guess that at least half the audience was unaware of the switcheroo - as these tickets were given via a lottery thru the local rock radio station and and there were many who weren't necessarily Deadheads were there only due to the lottery - as it was my feeling that they wouldn't have gone thru the trouble to procured the tix thru the usual means - any rate they really did a rather passable job an the first version - but then - they switched it up back to the regular setup and hot diggity damn - they blew the roof off the place - one of the most energized shows i'd ever seen - i mean they loved playing jersey - the fan base here is/was huge and rabid - all in all one of my fave indoor shows from Jer and the boys - damn do i miss papa Jerry omfg - April 26, 2017Ha Ha April Fools |
The Samsung Galaxy S8 was always expected to be pricey, but the latest rumor pushed the expected price even higher - 830 for the S8 and 930 for the Galaxy S8+. Is that a fair price? The Galaxy S8 duo will have exclusivity on the Snapdragon 835 chipset at launch, the major competition stuck with S821 or has its own chips (e.g. Kirin 960). Plus, a new generation of Super AMOLED is bound to bring improvements. Not to mention it will be the only one on the screen to combine minimalist bezels with curved edges (the LG G6 screen is flat). Then there are rumored enhancements to the camera, security (facial recognition) and more. However, Samsung missed out on some upgrades. Notably, the Galaxy S8 will be one of the few 2017 flagships with a single main camera. Then again, Apple and Google dont sell theirs much cheaper. Sure, the base iPhone 7 and Pixel start at 760, but both are smaller than the 5.8 Galaxy S8. The bigger versions - iPhone 7 Plus and Pixel XL - start at 900, essentially on par with the expected price of the Samsung. You still have to consider storage - 32GB non-expandable memory doesnt cut it, going up to 128GB will set you back another 110. And for all this talk, you just know that the next Xiaomi Mi, OnePlus, ZTE Axon and similar will offer the Snapdragon 835 at half the price. They will come out several months later than the S8, but you might be willing to wait a few months to save a few hundred euro. |
"My mission right now is to bring sanity to Washington through redistricting reform like we passed here in California," said the former California governor in a statement on his Facebook page. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sunday shot down speculation that he's running for the U.S. Senate. The former California governor posted on his Facebook page that he's "flattered" by those who have approached him about running, but he's focusing on gerrymandering instead. "My mission right now is to bring sanity to Washington through redistricting reform like we passed here in California. Gerrymandering has completely broken our political system and I believe my best platform to help repair it is from the outside, by campaigning for independent redistricting commissions," wrote Schwarzenegger. Politico recently reported that Schwarzenegger was considering running as an independent in 2018. They also cited that his views were different than those of President Donald Trump, whom he recently clashed with on Twitter over NBC reality competition series The Celebrity Apprentice. "I hope you'll join me in my battle against gerrymandering with the same enthusiasm," Schwarzenegger concluded in his post. Read his full statement below. I'm deeply flattered by all of the people who have approached me about running for Senate, but my mission right now is to bring sanity to Washington through redistricting reform like we passed here in California. Gerrymandering has completely broken our political system and I believe my best platform to help repair it is from the outside, by campaigning for independent redistricting commissions. Thank you for your kind messages and all of the support and I hope you'll join me in my battle against gerrymandering with the same enthusiasm. |
An intelligent, athletic performance from Leicester Tigers' England-qualified openside Brendon O'Connor caught the eye on Friday evening. Leicester Tigers gave an emphatic statement on Friday night with their 33-20 European Champions Cup defeat of Stade Francais at Welford Road. And an assertion of intent was uttered with a New Zealand accent. Attacking with pace and ambition in an unmistakable two-wave structure, the hosts displayed all the hallmarks of new head coach Aaron Mauger. Perennially underrated Matt Smith was excellent at inside centre, marrying an unfussy but effective passing game with pure tenacity. Close-season signings Mike Williams and Lachlan McCaffrey brought muscle and industry. Brendon O’Connor made his club debut too. In 15 Super 15 outings for a struggling Blues outfit earlier this year, he had accumulated 148 tackles, 104 carries and 15 turnovers. The 26 year-old went toe-to-toe with all-action Ardie Savea in last month’s ITM Championship final, helping his side Hawke’s Bay to a thrilling 26-25 win over Wellington. Via a grandmother, O’Connor also qualifies for England. After Friday’s match, Richard Cockerill branded talk of a Test role “premature”. For now, that may be true. Even so, charged with succeeding Julian Salvi in a line of superb Leicester opensides, O’Connor delivered an outstanding performance to begin life as a Tiger. Here is a run-down of his contributions. Testing the water O’Connor proved an utter nuisance at the tackle area from the first kick-off. Follow him here as Morne Steyn fields from Owen Williams: Typically combative, Tom Youngs rushes up to execute the first hit. On the shoulder of his hooker, O’Connor challenges for the ball. He is shunted away by the combined clear-out of Patrick Sio and Meyer Bosman but, as the slideshow below demonstrates, he bounces out into the defensive line: This trend, of returning to his feet and getting back into the game quickly, continues throughout O’Connor’s showing. Resourcing rucks During the World Cup, Australia‘s trio of Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper and David Pocock were lauded for disrupting opposition breakdowns. Just as important to the Wallabies’ results though, was fast ruck-speed – recycling possession rapidly. Here, following up as Mike Williams carries strongly, O’Connor darts over the ball to allow Ben Youngs a pristine platform: A few phases later, Mat Tait finds himself caught in a far weaker position. The full-back is shackled behind the gain-line and seems to be isolated from any support. Thankfully for Tigers, O’Connor is on hand to help out: Bypassing the front line of runners, Owen Williams hits Tait in behind: The Stade defence reads the pattern well. However, O’Connor adjusts his angle as Tait beats the first defender… …and latches on, almost sling-shotting his teammate through contact… …before straddling the ball, shielding it from any counter-ruckers to ensure Leicester can remain on the attack: Cockerill spoke to the BT Sport commentators midway through the first half and suggested O’Connor was feeling his way into the game. In truth, his subtle interventions just kept coming throughout his 65-minute shift. Moving it away Top 14 champions Stade had decent field position from this lineout, but Pascal Pape spilled at the tail. Following a slick pick-up from Dan Cole, O’Connor’s unselfish transfer to Owen Williams allows a key decision-maker some space: Seemingly innocuous, the short pass sums up the flanker’s entire showing – unselfish and under the radar, yet essential to the side’s success. Assisting turnovers Felling 13 runners, O’Connor was the top tackler in the game alongside Stade centre Bosman. An afore-mentioned habit of rebounding off the floor certainly aided that tally. As Sergio Parisse surges off this early scrum, the openside scurries across to scythe down the Italy legend: Crucially, he is on his feet in the guard position before Stade scrum-half Julien Dupuy can move the ball away: This means O’Connor is free to contribute from the next phase: The step-by-step diagrams below show how Stade establish a mini maul and lock Paul Gabrillagues breaks away. As Mike Williams tackles him high, looking to wrap up the ball, O’Connor goes low. The ex-Blue then stands up before the ruck has formed, adopting the space in behind the tackle and obstructing Sio, who is looking to resource the ruck. This gives Mike Williams a window to clasp onto ball unchallenged. Though Dupuy taps O’Connor in frustration and urges referee John Lacey to award a penalty to his team, the Irish official instead pings Gabrillagues for holding onto the ball on the floor: Mike Williams forced a similar infringement as Stade pressed five minutes later, swooping to capitalise on a good counter-ruck from Owen Williams: The former Worcester Warrior would probably have been strong enough to secure the turnover on his own, but a shunt from O’Connor certainly adds ballast: Before the first quarter had elapsed, Leicester’s latest number seven offered another glimpse of what he will bring. Defensive decision-making and spoiling Tries for Julien Tomas and Paul Williams featured fine offloading and underlined Stade’s ability to score from long range. Indeed, they truly stretched Tigers at times. Without O’Connor’s efforts on this occasion, the Parisians might have plundered another five-pointer: The first thing to note is the decision to jam onto ball-carrier Gabrillagues. Given there were seven more Stade players to the left and only Peter Betham opposite them, O’Connor nullifies a glaring overlap with a ball-and-all tackle: Once more, he rolls towards the opposition posts and rises, Once more, Sio is the obstructed Stade player in support: As Sio drives through, O’Connor sticks out a leg and forces the ball loose: In plain view of referee Lacey, this is a cynical infringement that buys Leicester time to reorganise their defence. Its subtlety ensured that O’Connor escaped unpunished. Such intelligence also punctuated Tigers’ attack. Thinking ahead Last week, Cockerill highlighted O’Connor’s ability to ‘link’; to ensure continuity on the back of shrewd support play. Anticipation is a fundamental quality in all of this, and one first-half lineout emphasised as much: As Ben Youngs finds Smith to set up a midfield move, watch O’Connor: While Smith passes to Owen Williams behind Betham, he heads infield in front of the ball, moving to where he expects the play to end up: The calculated gamble is vindicated when Owen Williams makes a half-break… …and O’Connor is on hand to receive an offload on the inside: This understanding is all the more impressive given O’Connor’s lack of game-time alongside his new colleagues. And there was another piece of cooperation to a turnover on the half-hour mark. Double-teaming Despite spending the majority of the opening period defending, Stade found themselves 8-0 ahead. A penalty handed them territory and there was a chance to build more pressure. Then O’Connor pounced: After handing off Cole and Tom Youngs, Sylvain Nicolas is cut down: Before the Stade support arrives, O’Connor does not have to adhere to ruck regulations. He blocks Nicolas’ attempt to pass backwards… …deflecting the ball upwards where Tom Youngs can complete the turnover: A similar play got Leicester off the mark. Risk rewarded One of Richie McCaw‘s defining traits over 148 All Blacks appearances has been how he has challenged the way referees interpret the ruck area. After this O’Connor turnover… …which led to a try for Vereniki Goneva… …BT pundit Brian O’Driscoll queried the legality of O’Connor’s actions. He argued, by this law definition, that a ruck had been formed prior to him scooping the ball off the deck: It is certainly close. From this angle, we can see Smith engaging with Stade hooker Laurent Panis as O’Connor is bending to pick up the ball. Another vantage point shows O’Connor’s steal to occur almost simultaneously to the ruck forming: Referee Lacey is forced into a decision and sides with Leicester. O’Connor pushes the envelope and pulls off a try-scoring, streetwise pilfer. More link work Popping up in midfield from an overthrown Stade lineout, O’Connor exhibits his handling skills and comfort with ball in hand with a simple take-and give: Receiving a pass from Owen Williams… …he straightens to draw Parisse before putting the effervescent Smith into space: After half-time, O’Connor became even more conspicuous. Try on Tigers debut Being in the right place at the right time is rarely coincidental in rugby. Opportunism and work-rate is a healthy combination, and O’Connor profited from both seconds into the second half: As Ben Youngs kicks, O’Connor is stationed on the fringe of the ruck: Even so, he makes up the ground to capitalise on the confusion caused by Adam Thompstone and Mike Fitzgerald. His pick-up at pace is exquisite: O’Connor was on hand from the next restart to keep Leicester in the ascendancy, intercepting a kick that did not go the required 10 metres and driving up beyond halfway: Around 10 minutes later, nimble footwork and deceptive power force a penalty from Stade following this O’Connor carry: Ben Youngs would tap, go and seal Leicester’s bonus point, something that could prove vital in the final shake-up of a pool that also includes Munster. The ensuing restart offered a final image of O’Connor’s perpetual motion. Parting shot Already involved in four turnovers by this point, O’Connor made it five here: The most striking thing about this sequence is O’Connor’s energy. He begins on the 10-metre line… …and back-pedals to lift Barrow: O’Connor then slips to the right of the breakdown to shield Ben Youngs from any potential charge-downs: Clearance made, he tears towards Hugo Bonneval. Tom Youngs makes a tackle on the Stade full-back and O’Connor is over the ball… …and fights hard to stay on his feet and provide a target for Marcos Ayerza to latch on and drive through: When the ball emerges, it is on the Tigers side: Cockerill’s note of caution on O’Connor’s international prospects was totally understandable. Earning the respect of everyone at Welford Road – fans, players and back-room staff – has to be the primary priority. But this was more than merely a promising beginning. It was a classy performance from a clever player dripping in qualities that England need, namely influential breakdown nous. Matt Kvesic and Will Fraser have been touted to challenge Chris Robshaw for a post-World Cup berth at openside. More of the same from O’Connor and he will join that category of genuine contenders. Thank you to BT Sport for the match footage. |
President Barack Obama has called on Athens to get “serious” about reforms and to show flexibility with its EU-International Monetary Fund creditors to resolve a standoff that endangers Greek euro zone membership. At the G7 annual meeting in Bavaria, leaders warned Russia that further “restrictive measures” beyond current sanctions were being formulated in response to its continued actions in eastern Ukraine. A two-day meeting in Elmau Castle, 100km south of Munich, closed with commitments by leaders to back efforts to hold global temperature increases below 2 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels and to provide additional resources to tackle global pandemics. But concerns over two countries not even present – Greece and Russia – hung over the event and the closing press conferences yesterday. Ahead of an EU summit tomorrow, with France and Germany set to talk to Greece, Mr Obama said there was a “sense of urgency” among G7 countries that Greece gets “serious” about reforms to satisfy creditors and encourage economic recovery. “The Greeks are going to have to follow through and make some tough political choices that will be good for the long term,” he said. “I think everyone wants to make it happen . . . if both sides are showing sufficient flexibility I think we can get this problem resolved.” The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Greece’s international creditors last week proposed extending the country’s bailout until the end of March 2016 in return for pension cuts, tax increases and other policy steps by Athens, citing unnamed sources. Concentrated atmosphere As G7 leaders discussed Greece in Bavaria, Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis met his German counterpart Wolfgang Schäuble in Berlin for private talks ahead of a speech at a Berlin think tank. Three days after Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras rejected reform proposals from the EU and IMF as “absurd”, Greek officials indicated they were ready to negotiate a settlement acceptable to all sides before its bailout package expires at month end and Athens faces a debt default. The unity from Mr Obama and other G7 leaders on Greece was mirrored in the joint front on their approach to Russia. Dr Merkel said G7 members would “do everything” to move forward the Minsk process agreed to stabilise the situation in eastern Ukraine but were ready to “increase sanctions if the situation makes it necessary”. Mr Obama said they had discussed additional steps to take if Russia, working through separatists in eastern Ukraine, “doubled down on aggression”. With an eye on an upcoming EU vote to extend existing sanctions against Russia, he added these talks are still at a technical rather than political level. “Our hope is that we don’t have to take additional steps . . . but ultimately this is going to be an issue for Mr Putin, ” said Mr Obama. “He has got to make a decision: does he continue to wreck his country’s economy and continue Russian isolation in pursuit of a wrong-headed desire to recreate the glories of the Soviet empire?” Financial tremors Meanwhile British prime minister David Cameron said he was happy other G7 leaders had taken on board his demand for a more energetic campaign to eradicate the “poison” of institutional corruption circulating through soccer’s governing body, Fifa. He said he expected the issue to become as important for G7 leaders as the battle against global tax avoidance. In this initiative he secured the support of the US president, who said it was important soccer was governed with “integrity”. “As the US keeps getting better and better at each World Cup, ” he said, with a smile, “we want to make sure that a sport that is gaining popularity is conducted in an upright manner”. |
First, let’s start off with what the Piltdown man is. Piltdown Man is a creation of Charles Dawson, an archaeologist who claimed in 1912 that he had found evidence that man evolved from apes. This evidence became a phenomenon & would take over 40 years to be debunked by science. Dawson assembled various parts of the human & orangutan anatomy; calling it the Eoanthropus dawsoni (“Dawson’s dawn man”). Mainstream media ran the new discovery under headlines such as… This slideshow requires JavaScript. The Piltdown Man is considered one of the greatest hoaxes for many reasons. Until 2016, the method of Dawson’s scam was unknown. In 2003 research conducted by Bournemouth University showcased the extensive forgery Dawson committed (38 specimens were deemed fake). 1953-2003 was stagnant. Timeline 1953: Hoax is revealed. 2003: Bournemouth debunks Dawson’s career. 2016: The developmental process of Dawson’s forgery comes to light. Mainstream media not only promoted a hoax, but it also provided no research on the project at-the-time. No independent research took place & no verification process was enacted by the Government. How could such an extraordinary & historic discovery fool the majority of the public? Why would mainstream media publish such material without proper protocol? A conspiracy devised by ONE MAN blinded millions, including the prestigious New York Times. The Reverse Piltdown Man Effect If a hoax of such magnitude can deceive a mass population for the longevity of 40+ years; could a reverse scenario take place? Could a situation this great in-depth actually become true? Similar to the findings of the Piltdown Man proved to be a fake? And if so, what would mainstream media say about it? Here are more samples of MSM articles. This slideshow requires JavaScript. Lately, news outlets have issued articles that debunk a conspiracy known as Pizzagate; they’ve challenged & written articles with only snippets of information provided for their backing — instead labeling the theory as “insane” and the product of the “alt-right.” This is deemed to be a hoax/conspiracy with no backing… yet the same media that projects this secret complex information is the same media who promoted false scientific claims from an egotistic archaeologist (Dawson). The same scenario can be applied to the moon landing or any other conspiracy. How would the media react to newfound information proving a conspiracy to be true? Current quotes from articles of MSM “Welch told police Sunday evening that he went to Comet Ping Pong in order to investigate “Pizzagate,” a fictional conspiracy theory that popped up during the election season and made the restaurant the unlikely center of far-right outrage predicated on hacked emails from Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. The restaurant, which also hosts music shows, announced last Thursday it would add security to its music shows following intense, mostly remotely conducted harassment of the venue and its employees.” – Washingtonian They label it a “fictional conspiracy theory”. I thought conspiracy theories were already labeled as “fictional” due to the nature of attention the word receives from MSM. Now they’re making sure to add the extra padding… FICTIONAL. “Edgar M. Welch, 28, of Salisbury, N.C., was arrested Sunday after firing a gun inside a pizza restaurant in Washington as he investigated false claims in online articles that the pizzeria was at the center of a child sex slave ring, the police said. No one was injured by the gunfire, and Mr. Welch surrendered peacefully. The pizzeria, Comet Ping Pong, had been swept into a conspiracy theory, which linked the supposed ring to Hillary Clinton because its owner had corresponded with the Clinton campaign about a fund-raising dinner.” – The “Prestigious” New York Times Nothing to state about the above quote. The New York Times holds no weight in the news anymore; they were the original “Fake News” template. Operation Mockingbird This was the first “fake news” initiative created & put into effect during the 1950’s-1970s. It basically swayed the views of public opinion by inserting fake news led by journalists of the mainstream media. This was also used in international campaigns to broadcast propaganda to countries interested in American culture & news. The Family Jewels report also backs this operation. A “misconduct guide” that presents the influence and illegal activities of the CIA. This slideshow requires JavaScript. This essay is meant to be objective and informative: generating a discussion of the subject matter with a proper realm of context — establishing a cord between the mind and how we perceive existence throughout history about false information and mainstream media. This is an official PROJECT ASTRAL essay. – Press Graye Advertisements |
With the expected nomination of ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to the position of U.S. Secretary of State, the recent book Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power by Columbia University dean of journalism Steve Coll seems newly relevant—so much so that, following Friday’s news about the nomination, Amazon has been temporarily sold out. Coll has also just published a new piece over at The New Yorker looking at Tillerson’s legacy with the global oil firm. There, Coll describes ExxonMobil as resembling “an independent, transnational corporate sovereign in the world, a power independent of the American government, one devoted firmly to shareholder interests and possessed of its own foreign policy.” Exxon’s foreign policy sometimes had more impact on the countries where it operated than did the State Department. Take, for example, Chad, one of the poorest countries in Africa. During the mid-two-thousands, the entirety of U.S. aid and military spending in the country directed through the U.S. Embassy in the capital, N’Djamena, amounted to less than twenty million dollars annually, whereas the royalty payments Exxon made to the government as part of an oil-production agreement were north of five hundred million dollars. Idriss Déby, the authoritarian President of Chad, did not need a calculator to understand that Rex Tillerson was more important to his future than the U.S. Secretary of State. Should Tillerson be confirmed, Coll suggests, his new role “will certainly confirm the assumption of many people around the world that American power is best understood as a raw, neocolonial exercise in securing resources.” The Guardian agrees, suggesting that, “In a very real sense, Tillerson has been a head of a state within a state. Exxon Mobil is bigger economically than many countries. It has its own foreign policy and its own contracted security forces.” Consider picking up a copy of Private Empire and read more from Coll over at The New Yorker. |
A new mural in downtown Huntsville may cause you to do a double-take, and that's what the artist intended. The "forced perspective" mural on the side of 200 West Side Square near the bottom of Spring Street, depicting the iconic fish from Big Spring International Park, becomes three-dimensional when you look at it from the right angle. The mural, unveiled Tuesday, was created by local creative firm Red Brick Strategies in coordination with Downtown Huntsville Inc., the city and Anne O'Shea, owner of 200 West Side Square. There is a red "RB" logo painted at the corner of Spring and Spragins streets across from the mural to mark the best place to see the 3-D effect. Trent Willis, founder and CEO of Red Brick Strategies, gave the credit to Red Brick's Creative Director, Dustin Timbrook, whose "unique perspective and limitless creativity made this project a reality." Timbrook enlisted dozens of volunteer artists to create the mural over the past five days. "Huntsville is a smart city," said Timbrook. "It's time we start producing smarter public art. Stuff that forces people to stop, think, and engage. We want to inspire creativity and more projects to really showcase the kind of creative minds we have here in Huntsville. We appreciate DHI for giving us the opportunity to do this and hope that it continues to grow." The mural was inspired by DHI's "Something Interesting Downtown" program. The program, sponsored by PNC Bank, awards grants for projects to help promote innovation and excitement in the community. "Never underestimate the power of public art," said Mayor Tommy Battle. "Murals make our downtown more welcoming and walkable by giving us something beautiful to look at and something to talk about. A mural may inspire creativity or a meaningful conversation, and that builds community." O'Shea said the mural not only adds life to the downtown area, but gave local artists an opportunity to showcase their talent. "Bring your kids down to see the fish swimming up Spring Street!" O'Shea said. |
The Guardians of the Galaxy are a fictional spacefaring superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning formed the team from existing and previously unrelated characters created by a variety of writers and artists, with an initial roster of Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Quasar, Adam Warlock, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer and Groot. These Guardians first appeared in "Annihilation: Conquest" #6 (April 2008). A feature film based on this team was released in 2014 to critical acclaim.[1][2] A sequel, titled Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, was released in 2017. This Guardians team is the second to operate under the name, following the original team created by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan in 1969. Publication history [ edit ] The second volume of the title was published in May 2008, written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and featured a new team of characters from the Annihilation: Conquest storyline.[3][4] Abnett and Lanning's work on the Annihilation: Conquest story laid the foundation for the new Guardians of the Galaxy book that they had been wanting to launch for some time.[5] Editor Bill Rosemann, who had also edited Annihilation: Conquest, provided more background: "As the planning of Annihilation: Conquest came together, it occurred to us that, if things went well, there would be a group of characters left standing who would make for a very interesting and fun team." It also provided the motivation the team would need, as "on the heels of two back-to-back wars, they're out to prevent any new Annihilation-size disasters from erupting."[6] The title ran parallel with Nova vol. 4, which was also written by Abnett and Lanning. The two crossed over in the storylines "War of Kings"[7][8] and "Realm of Kings".[9][10][11] Paul Pelletier pencilled the first seven issues. Brad Walker and Wes Craig alternated pencilling tasks from #8 to #25.[12] The book was cancelled in April 2010 with issue 25. Some plot threads were concluded in The Thanos Imperative 1–6 and its two one-shots (May 2010 – Jan 2011).[13] The team appeared reassembled in Avengers Assemble #4–8 (June–October 2012).[14] The Guardians of the Galaxy appeared in a new series for Marvel NOW! starting with issue 0.1 written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Steve McNiven. In addition to the previous Guardians, Iron Man also joined the team.[15] Later issues of the series saw Angela,[16] Agent Venom,[17] and Captain Marvel join.[18] With the success of the film adaptation, spinoff books were also created as solo titles featuring Star-Lord,[19] Rocket Raccoon,[20] and Groot.[21] Guardians of the Galaxy was relaunched as part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel initiative with Brian Michael Bendis and Valerio Schiti returning as writer and artist respectively.[22] The series sees Peter Quill and Gamora leaving the team, and Rocket becoming the new team's self-appointed leader, also two new characters were added to the team. Kitty Pryde (taking up the mantle of Star-Lord) and the Thing.[23] As a part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel initiative, all the cast of the movie Guardians will get their own solo series. Star-Lord will continue as a solo series written by Sam Humphries,[24] while Rocket Raccoon and Groot will join to be a duo series written by Skottie Young.[25] Drax and Gamora also received their own solo series written by UFC fighter CM Punk[26] and Nicole Perlman[27] respectively. Team history [ edit ] In the aftermath of the Phalanx invasion of the Kree, Star-Lord[28] decides to form a team of interstellar heroes that will be proactive in protecting the galaxy, rather than reacting to crises as they happen. To this end, he recruits Adam Warlock,[29] Drax the Destroyer,[30] Gamora,[30] Phyla-Vell (the new Quasar),[31] Rocket Raccoon,[32] and Groot,[32] with Mantis as support staff.[33] On the recommendation of their ally, Nova, the group establishes a base of operations on the space station Knowhere, which possesses a teleportation system with near-universal range.[34] An intelligent, telepathic dog named Cosmo the Spacedog is Knowhere's chief of security and works closely with the new team. After a confrontation with the Universal Church of Truth,[3] the team meets a semi-amnesiac man who identifies himself as Vance Astro - Major Victory of the original Guardians of the Galaxy.[35] Astro's declaration inspires the as-yet-unnamed team to adopt the "Guardians of the Galaxy" name for their own.[36] When the team learns Star-Lord directed Mantis to telepathically coerce the heroes into joining the team, they disband.[37] Rocket Raccoon decides to continue Star-Lord's mission and starts a search for the missing members. His new team includes Bug, Mantis, Major Victory, and Groot, who is fully regrown. Meanwhile, Star-Lord was banished to the Negative Zone by Ronan the Accuser for his actions during the Phalanx's attempted conquest of the Kree Empire. There, he finds himself in the middle of King Blastaar's fight to break into 42 and use its portal to invade Earth. Star-Lord allies with Jack Flag to defend the prison and contact the other Guardians for rescue. Rocket's new team successfully brings both of them back, and Flag becomes a Guardian. Elsewhere, Drax and Phyla begin looking for Cammi, but on their search they talk to a seer who tells them about an oncoming war. Phyla is able to wake Moondragon from the dead, but loses her Quantum Bands in the process. The consequence for Phyla is that she is now the new avatar of death. They go back to Knowhere and do not follow up on the search for Cammi. War of Kings [ edit ] Warlock and Gamora return and inform the team of the War of Kings. They split into three teams, one each to the Kree and Shi'ar, and one staying on Knowhere to coordinate. The Kree team is heard by Black Bolt and the Inhumans, but their request for peace is denied. The Shi'ar team is attacked by Vulcan and the Imperial Guard, leading them to ally with the Starjammers. Star-Lord, Mantis, Bug, Jack Flag, and Cosmo are taken to the 31st Century by that era's Guardians, who warn them of the creation of an all-destroying energy rift called The Fault at the war's conclusion. Trapped in the future, Star-Lord's team is able to get a message to Warlock in the 21st Century. Warlock is unable to stop The Fault's creation, but is able to contain it with a spell that requires a stable, unused timeline. Warlock chooses the one he previously erased,[38] causing him to become the Magus. Star-Lord's team, with the help of Kang the Conqueror, are returned to this point in the timestream. To escape, Magus fakes the death of himself, Mantis, Cosmo, Major Victory, Martyr, and Gamora.[39] Martyr frees herself with the help of Maelstrom, and enables Mantis to call the other Guardians for help telepathically. When they come to the rescue, Phyla-Vell is misled by Maelstrom into freeing Thanos. Thanos kills Martyr, but is captured by the Guardians and taken back to Knowhere as a prisoner.[40] The Thanos Imperative [ edit ] When the universe is invaded by the alternate universe known as the "Cancerverse" from the other side of the Fault, the Guardians take Thanos to the Cancerverse in an attempt to end the war early.[41] Along the way, Drax attacks Thanos and is killed.[42] They are ultimately successful at ending the war, but Thanos is left enraged and promising to kill everyone. Along with Nova, Star-Lord remains in the collapsing Cancerverse as the other Guardians escape.[43] After the death of Star-Lord, the Guardians disband. Still believing in their cause, Cosmo recruits another team under the name "Annihilators".[44] Rocket Raccoon and Groot later reunite and decide to continue the Guardians' legacy after the duo prevent an incident on Rocket's home world, Halfworld.[45] The new team appears on Earth to aid the Avengers against Thanos.[46] Marvel NOW! [ edit ] After Star-Lord's father visits him in a bar to tell him that it is forbidden for any alien species to visit Earth, Iron Man is attacked by Badoon appearing to attack Earth. The Guardians and their newest member Iron Man defeat the ship; however, London is still attacked.[47] The Guardians defend London and finish off the horde of Badoon but learn that, for violating the "Earth-is-off-limits" rule (the Spartax Earth Directive), they are to be placed under arrest by the King of Spartax. The Guardians manage to escape with the help of Groot, who had recently regrown after being destroyed by a Badoon ship's explosion. The team includes Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Groot, Rocket Raccoon, and Tony Stark. In April 2013, it was announced that Image Comics' Angela (Spawn) would join the Marvel Universe as the result of a legal battle between Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane. After appearing in Age of Ultron, she joined the Guardians in November. Captain Marvel and Agent Venom are set to join the team.[48] During the Secret Wars storyline, the Guardians of the Galaxy take part in the incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610. During the incursion, Rocket Raccoon and Groot are killed by the Children of Tomorrow, Star-Lord is teleported away trying to come up with a back-up plan, and Gamora and Drax the Destroyer are surrounded and confused by the corpses of their comrades.[49] During the subsequent conflict with the Beyonder-empowered Doom, Star-Lord is one of the survivors of the previous universe, piloting the 616 and Ultimate versions of Mister Fantastic in to mount a final assault on Doom's castle, and revealing that he kept a twig from Groot in his pocket until the right moment. During the Secret Empire storyline, the Guardians of the Galaxy assist Captain Marvel, the Ultimates, the Alpha Flight Space Program, Hyperion, and Quasar into fighting the Chitauri wave. Captain America, who was brainwashed into being a Hydra sleeper agent by Red Skull's clone using the powers of Kobik, activates the Planetary Defense Shield trapping them outside of Earth.[50] Reception [ edit ] The series debuted to mostly positive reviews.[51][52][53][54][55][56] The May 2008 sales estimate for the first issue was 39,854 copies, making it the 61st top-selling comic title that month.[57] The first and second issues sold out;[58] they have been reprinted in a collected edition.[59] Collected editions [ edit ] Volume 2 [ edit ] Hardcover Title Material collected Pages Publication date ISBN Legacy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #1-6 144 pages January 2009 0-7851-3326-7 War of Kings: Book 1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #7-12 144 pages June 2009 0-7851-3982-6 War of Kings: Book 2 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #13-19 and Marvel Spotlight: War of Kings 168 pages November 2009 0-7851-4127-8 Realm of Kings Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #20-25 144 pages July 2010 0-7851-4543-5 Softcover Title Material collected Pages Publication date ISBN Legacy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #1-6 144 pages April 2009 0-7851-3338-0 War of Kings: Book 1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #7-12 144 pages October 2009 0-7851-3339-9 War of Kings: Book 2 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #13-19 and Marvel Spotlight: War of Kings 168 pages April 2010 978-0-7851-4048-1 Realm of Kings Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #20-25 144 pages November 2010 0-7851-4049-2 Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett & Lanning: The Complete Collection Volume 1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #1-12 296 pages August 2014 978-0785190646 Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett & Lanning: The Complete Collection Volume 2 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #13-25 312 pages December 2014 978-0785190639 Volume 3 [ edit ] Title Material collected Pages Publication date ISBN Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #0.1, #1-3; Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow's Avengers #1 144 pages 978-0785166078 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Angela Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #4-10 168 pages February 2014 978-0785166085 Guardians of the Galaxy/All-New X-Men: The Trial of Jean Grey Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #11-13; All-New X-Men #22-24 144 pages June 2014 978-0785166092 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: Guardians Disassembled Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #14-17; Captain Marvel #1; Amazing Spider-Man #654 (B story); Free Comic Book Day 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy #1 160 pages November 2014 978-0785154792 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4: Original Sin Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #18-23 136 pages December 2014 978-0785192459 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 5: Through the Looking Glass Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #24-27, Annual #1 136 pages April 2015 978-0785197386 Guardians Team-Up [ edit ] Title Material collected Pages Publication date ISBN Guardians Team-Up Vol. 1: Guardians Assemble Guardians Team-Up #1-5, Tails of Pet-Avengers #1 144 pages November 2015 978-0785197140 Guardians Team-Up Vol. 2: Unlikely Story Guardians Team-Up #6-10, Deadpool Team-Up #883 136 pages February 2016 978-0785199113 Secret Wars [ edit ] Title Material collected Pages Publication date ISBN Guardians of Knowhere Guardians of Knowhere #1-4 and New Avengers: Illuminati (2007) #3 120 pages December 2015 978-0785198444 Star-Lord & Kitty Pride Star-Lord & Kitty Pride #1-3, Generation Next #1 and Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Omega' 128 pages December 2015 978-0785198437 Volume 4 [ edit ] Title Material collected Pages Publication date ISBN Guardians of the Galaxy: New Guard Vol. 1: Emperor Quill Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4 #1-5 112 pages May 2016 978-0785195184 Guardians of the Galaxy: New Guard Vol. 2: Wanted Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4 #6-10 136 pages November 2016 978-0785195191 Guardians of the Galaxy: New Guard Vol. 3: Civil War II Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4 #11-14 112 pages February 2017 978-1302903015 Guardians of the Galaxy: New Guard Vol. 4: Grounded Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4 #15-19 136 pages October 2017 978-1302906702 Guardians of Infinity [ edit ] Title Material collected Pages Publication date ISBN Guardians of the Galaxy: Guardians of Infinity Guardians of Infinity #1-8 (A stories) 136 pages August 2016 978-0785195870 Guardians of the Galaxy: Tales of the Cosmos Guardians of Infinity #1-8 (B stories) 136 pages August 2016 978-0785195887 Oversized hardcovers [ edit ] Title Material collected Pages Publication date ISBN Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett & Lanning Omnibus Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #1-25, The Thanos Imperative #1-6, The Thanos Imperative: Ignition, The Thanos Imperative: Devastation, and material from Annihilators #1-4, Annihilators: Earthfall #1-4 936 May 17, 2016 978-0785198345 Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #0.1, 1-10; Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow 's Avengers #1 312 May 19, 2015 978-0785194002 Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #11-17; All-New X-Men #22-24; Free Comic Book Day 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy #1 264 January 19, 2016 978-0785198246 Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #18-27; Annual #1 272 September 20, 2016 978-1302900083 Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Alpha #1; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #24-25; Legendary Star-Lord #9-11; All-New X-Men #38-39; Guardians Team-Up #2; Nova #28; Cyclops #12; Captain Marvel #14; Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Omega #1 312 July 14, 2015 978-0785197706 Guardians of the Galaxy by Brian Michael Bendis, Vol. 1 Omnibus Avengers Assemble #1-8; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #0.1, 1-27, Annual #1; Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow's Avengers #1; All-New X-Men #22-24; Free Comic Book Day 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy #1; Guardians of Knowhere #1-4 1168 December 20, 2016 978-1302900274 Other versions [ edit ] 1602 [ edit ] During the Secret Wars storyline in the domain of King James' England (which is based on the Marvel 1602 reality), the Guardians of the Galaxy have a counterpart here named the Gardiner's Men. They are a troupe of performers consisting of Madam Gomorrah, Peadar O'Cuill, Arthur Dubhghlas, Goodman Root, and Aroughcun the Raccoon. Angela befriended them where she helped to fight off the beasts that were attacking them.[60] In other media [ edit ] Television [ edit ] Film [ edit ] The Guardians of the Galaxy from the 2014 film (L-R: Saldana as Gamora, Pratt as Quill, Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Cooper), Bautista as Drax, and Groot (voiced by Diesel)). A live-action film based on the comic book and team, Guardians of the Galaxy, was released on August 1, 2014 and took a more comedic take on the characters.[63] It was directed by James Gunn,[64] and stars Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket Raccoon, and Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot.[65] The film also features Josh Brolin as Thanos.[66] A sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,[67] was released on May 5, 2017.[68] The team has expanded with the additions of Yondu Udonta, Nebula and Mantis joining their ranks; portrayed by Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff respectively. Though Yondu and Nebula appeared in the first film as minor antagonists, they joined the team of heroes in their fight against Ego the Living Planet. Sean Gunn's character Kraglin also assists the team in the final confrontation. The team appears in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.[69] In response to a distress call from the Asgardian refugee ship, the Guardians arrive to find the ship shattered after Thanos destroyed it upon retrieving the Space Stone. After their spaceship Benatar literally crashes into Thor, Rocket and Groot accompany him to Nidavellir to obtain a weapon capable of killing Thanos while Peter, Drax, Gamora and Mantis travel to Knowhere to recover the Reality Stone. However, they arrive too late to stop Thanos, who has claimed the Reality Stone. Gamora is forced by Thanos to lead him to the Soul Stone in order to save Nebula, then sacrificed so he can obtain it. At Nebula's heed, Peter, Drax and Mantis travel to Titan to confront Thanos. Once on Titan, they meet Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Doctor Strange. Joined by Nebula, the group works together to take down Thanos and acquire the Gauntlet, although the plan ultimately fails. Meanwhile, Thor, Groot, and Rocket join the Avengers in fighting off Thanos's forces on Earth, but when Thanos acquires all six Infinity Stones, Star-Lord, Drax, Mantis, and Groot are among his victims, leaving Rocket and Nebula as the only Guardians left alive. A third film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, is in development. Video games [ edit ] Toys [ edit ] A Guardians of the Galaxy three pack for the Marvel Universe 3 3/4" toyline includes a Rocket Raccoon, Star-Lord, Drax, and a miniature Groot. The three will be rereleased individually as part of the Avengers Infinite toyline. [70] three pack for the Marvel Universe 3 3/4" toyline includes a Rocket Raccoon, Star-Lord, Drax, and a miniature Groot. The three will be rereleased individually as part of the Avengers Infinite toyline. A Drax figure and a Rocket Raccoon Build-A-Figure have been released in their Guardian uniforms as part of the Marvel Legends line. Film versions of the team were released as part of the Marvel Minimates toyline in Fall 2014. [71] Hot Toys released the film versions of Guardians of the Galaxy 12" figures (30 cm) starting in January 2015 with Peter Quill aka Star-Lord, and will follow up with Rocket Racoon, Groot, Gamora, and Drax in Q1/Q2 2015. Theme parks [ edit ] |
As several politicos have noted, 2016 is an "outsider" election year, as voters on both sides are rebelling against their parties' rulers. For the political establishment that destroyed the country's working class with foreign and domestic policy blunders alike, ranging from the Iraq War to the economic collapse to a variety of bad trade deals, the chickens are finally coming home to roost. Even politicians like Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) have realized this is what's driving campaigns like businessman Donald Trump's on the right and Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-VT) on the left. But as we enter the final stretch of the primary season, the key difference now is the Republican establishment is making peace with the fact that Trump will be their nominee, barring anything unexpected happening in Cleveland. And despite Trump's gaffes and brash attitude towards campaigning, he's indeed winning the GOP's popular vote and bringing excited people into the party, including many Independents and Democrats. This shows how strong the resentment for the establishment is with voters in 2016, and highlights what the Trump campaign is doing right. Because while Trump may mistakenly blame immigrants and Muslims for a variety of unverified problems, he isn't wrong to rail against a corrupt political class of politicians who no longer work for the American people, as well as their financiers. |
SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE: David Cameron last night said the referendum No vote would act as a springboard for the Conservatives to win more Westminster seats in Scotland next year. The Prime Minister claimed the rejection of independence offered a “huge political opportunity” for his party, which currently only has one Scottish MP. Speaking at the Scottish Conservatives’ reception at the UK party conference in Birmingham, Mr Cameron spoke of his relief that the 307-year-old Union had been maintained. The fight for a No vote had mobilised Tory activists in areas that had been held by the Conservatives until the 1997 wipe-out, Mr Cameron said. The work that had been done on the ground had been complemented by birth of a “new star” in Ruth Davidson, who had emerged as a Scottish leader of “stature” and “passion”. “I think we have a huge political opportunity here,” said the Prime Minister after he was greeted with cheers from Tory members gathered for an event at which attendees have not had much to shout about in the recent past. “We have now got a leader with huge stature in Scotland. We have now got a database, not just of Conservative supporters but Friends of the Union, who looked at us to defend our United Kingdom. We have got people who have been hardened in the battle on the streets and campaigning. We have got some targets in our sights.” Mr Cameron mentioned areas like Perthshire and Aberdeenshire, which turned out to vote No, despite the Conservative vote being eroded by the SNP in recent parliamentary elections. “We’ve got people. We’ve got the message. “Now I really think we can turn the next 200 days into the opportunity to deliver more Conservative seats in the Westminster parliament for Scotland,” Mr Cameron said. “That should be our aim. That should be our goal. And please, my friends, let’s do everything to bring it about.” Mr Cameron admitted that he felt “very emotional” as he addressed Conservative members. He defended his strategy not to include a second “DevoMax” option on the ballot paper, arguing that a single question had proved the correct choice. He also spoke of importance of allowing a fair and legal referendum to settle the independence issue. “When Alex Salmond got a majority we could have ducked the fight and put off what he wanted to do. We could have let him have illegal referendum after illegal referendum. We could have let him, rather cowardly it would have been, break up the Union by stealth,” Mr Cameron said. “That was not the choice we made. We said one referendum, one question – fair legal and decisive. “And let’s not forget that in the dying weeks of campaign, there were one or two people who were beginning to wonder whether that was wise. Well, let’s just say now loudly and proudly. It was the right call. We saved our United Kingdom.” |
(IraqiNews.com) Nineveh – ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi survived a coup attempt by the so-called Islamic Police in Mosul after summoning “al-Assra Army” to suppress the coup, Al Sumaria reported on Monday. The Iraqi news outlet stated that the Commander of ISIS Islamic Police, Abu Othman, staged a coup attempt and attacked four headquarters of ISIS in Mosul. In response, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi summoned the so-called al-Assra army to suppress the coup and kill seven leaders of ISIS Islamic Police who were allegedly involved. “The leader of the ISIS Islamic Police was killed, along with a number of his aides, and ISIS carried out mass executions of its militants who participated in the coup attempt,” Al Sumaria said. “ISIS announced through its media detachments that it had overcome a coup attempt by the Islamic Police against al-Baghdadi and regained control over its entire headquarters after violent confrontations which lasted for several hours,” Al Sumaria added. Al Sumaria also revealed that just prior to the coup ISIS Islamic Police vehicles were announcing through loudspeakers that Baghdadi’s rule in Mosul is over and that he had escaped to the Syrian city of Raqqa. |
PlayStation Store Sneak Peek: October 28th 2014 Posted by Curtis H on October 23rd, 2014 | 9 Comments | Tags: Sneak Peek Be sure to check out our Upcoming Games list for all the latest release dates on PSN content. Also, remember this list is for the North American PlayStation Store and is subject to change. If you are looking for PlayStation Mobile releases, check this tag. Demos Blood of the Werewolf (PS3) Deadfall Adventures: Heart of Atlantis (PS3) PS4 Games Battle Islands Costume Quest 2 Home #KillAllZombies Lords of the Fallen NBA Live 15 Singstar The Unfinished Swan PS3 Games Blood of the Werewolf Costume Quest 2 Deadfall Adventures: Heart of Atlantis MX Vs. ATV: Supercross Singstar Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze Tiny Troopers Joint Ops WWE 2K15 Vita Games Freedom Wars Poltergeist: A Pixelated Horror The Unfinished Swan Tiny Troopers Joint Ops [Source: Our Internal List, PlayStation Blogcast] |
An investigation into a storage unit burglary led Huntsville police to discover a "chop shop" was being operated at Whiplash Kustoms, a business on Washington Street. Owner Eric Shea Lambert, 36, is wanted on a Class B felony warrant for first-degree receiving stolen property, police announced during a news conference this morning. Stolen vehicles were being stripped at the business at 2494 Washington St., then the parts were sold, police said. The FBI is expected to be involved in the investigation, as some of the parts were sold out of state, according to investigators in the HPD burglary unit. Police discovered the "chop shop" after surveillance footage from a storage unit break-in and motorcycle theft led them to Lambert and the business, said Lt. Stacy Bates, HPD's public information officer. A subsequent search of the business turned up several stolen motorcycles, a Mustang reported stolen in Georgia, a Dodge Ram 1500 truck that was taken from a Huntsville dealership and several other stolen items, Bates said. The Mustang already had been stripped, and the truck was being stripped when investigators arrived with a warrant, Bates said. The shop remained open today, but investigators are working with city officials to determine if the business license can be revoked. It's unclear whether employees at the shop knew the vehicles were stolen. Lambert Lambert is described as a "multi-talented criminal," with many years of contact with police in his past, investigators said. He is between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches, about 170 pounds and has curly brown hair. Anyone who sees Lambert or knows of his whereabouts should call HPD at 256-722-7100. The shop is believed to have operated for a year or longer, police said. Some of the stolen items, including the Dodge truck, have been returned to their owners. But, it's not clear how many other theft victims there may be. Anyone who suspects he or she may have been the victim of a theft associated with this case should contact the burglary unit at HPD. |
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Charles (Chuck) Timothy HagelHillicon Valley: Senators urge Trump to bar Huawei products from electric grid | Ex-security officials condemn Trump emergency declaration | New malicious cyber tool found | Facebook faces questions on treatment of moderators Overnight Defense: White House eyes budget maneuver to boost defense spending | Trump heads to Hanoi for second summit with Kim | Former national security officials rebuke Trump on emergency declaration 58 ex-national security officials rebuke Trump over emergency declaration MORE said Wednesday the Sunni fundamentalist group the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) poses a threat not just to the government in Baghdad, but to the United States as well. "This country should not make any mistake on this, nor anyone in Congress — this is a threat to our country," Hagel said while meeting with troops at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia. "This is a force that is sophisticated. It's dynamic, it's strong, it's organized, it's well-financed, it's competent, [ISIS]. And it is a threat to our allies all over the Middle East. It's a threat to Europe. It's a threat to every stabilized country on Earth, and it's a threat to us," Hagel said. ADVERTISEMENT He added that the Pentagon was getting daily assessments from troops deployed on the ground in Iraq, and the "finality of those assessments will be completed in the next few days." The administration has said that assessment would form the basis of next steps for the U.S. in Iraq, which is battling a terrorist takeover by ISIS. "We'll have a further context of what recommendations they'll make. In the meantime, we're doing everything we can, as I said in those two general areas, protect our people and assist [Iraqi Security Forces] in their efforts to defeat [ISIS]," Hagel said. In response to a threat to Baghdad, President Obama has ordered about 650 U.S. troops to Iraq, in addition to the 100 already there. Those troops are helping to reinforce the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and other diplomatic facilities, as well as to conduct assessments on the security situation, which includes the flying of armed and unarmed drones. "We are assisting in every way we can to help the Iraqi people defeat the brutal fundamentalists," Hagel said. "[ISIS] may not appear to be an imminent threat to the United States. It is a threat to the United States. It is a threat, clear threat to our partners in that area, and it is imminent," he said. |
Development takes time. Lots of time. Since the first version of the website, I consistently spend about 15 hours per week working on improvements. Servers cost money. With the influx of users, there are more servers needed to provide high-quality services. Hey there,My name is David, and I am the developer and designer behind gw2efficiency.com From the very start, I wanted to provide a website that had loads of features which were easily accessible, while still striving for the best quality possible.It has been over 3 years now and the results of that effort have made players lives a little bit easier. The website has since grown in features and the community followed - currently over 150.000 users, with over 2.5 million pageviews a month.Sadly, I am faced with two simple realities:I will continue development on gw2efficiency (and keep it online) regardless of how well this Patreon will end up working out, but with a little help on your part, you can help to take it to the next level.Thank you,David |
A slightly unusual ransomware, LeakerLocker Ransomware, a commonly known computer malware is now threatening smart-phones. Known as LeakerLocker, this new malware is the discovery of online security company McAfee. LeakerLocker currently affects Android owners in case they take down particular apps existing in Google's Play Store. Usually ransom software locks up victim's hard drive or data-files; however, the LeakerLocker ransomware garners victim's browsing history and private data followed with demands a $50 payment if he doesn't want the collected content to be sent to relatives and friends listed on his address book. McAfee found 2 applications on Google Play Store which were tainted with LeakerLocker. These are Booster & Cleaner Pro and Wallpapers Blur HD. Perpetrators of the malware try to extort $50 against not disclosing private information, including e-mails, web history, location history, Facebook messages, photos, and more, exploiting victims' qualms of probable embarrassment. The dual apps inside Google's Play Store which carried LeakerLocker were Wallpapers Blur HD that has had 5,000 to 10,000 instances of download, and Booster & Cleaner Pro that has had 1,000 to 5,000 instances of download. Zdnet.com posted this dated July 11, 2017. When Booster & Cleaner Pro laden with the malware is installed as well as booted, it activates AlarmManager, a highly sought after permission an end-user requires acquiescing with at the time of download that kicks off the malevolent operation. Just then LeakerLocker, as is indicative of its name, freezes the screen of victim's device. Apart from this, the malware utilizes the permissions acquired from the end-user to start accessing personal details it discovers on the smart-phone. Luckily, whatever the malware actually garners is limited while does not include everything that the hacker asserts as gaining access to. Once the victim accepts everything as well as transmits the payment, one more message pops up telling that his personal information had been eliminated from the criminals' computers and that his privacy remains intact. Nevertheless, making the payment doesn't make the victim free from encountering the hackers again. Google has cleared its store off the tainted applications. The Internet giant wasn't immediately available for responding when asked to comment. » SPAMfighter News - 13-07-2017 |
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin apologized yesterday for implying that some parts of the country are more American than others, even as similar comments by two Republican congressmen were causing a backlash that threatened their chances for reelection. In an interview on CNN, Palin said comments she made last week in North Carolina praising small towns as "the real America" and the "pro-America areas of this great nation" were not intended to suggest that other parts of the country are less patriotic or less American. "If that's the way it has come across, I apologize," she told CNN's Drew Griffin. In Minnesota, little-known Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg announced yesterday that he has raised $1 million over the past four days for his House campaign, after Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann questioned Sen. Barack Obama's patriotism and recommended that the news media investigate whether other members of Congress are "pro-America" or "anti-America." The money began flooding in from across the country after Bachmann made the comments in a seven-minute appearance on MSNBC's "Hardball" on Friday. "I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out: Are they pro-America or anti-America?" she told host Chris Matthews. The backlash from Bachmann's remarks gave Tinklenberg enough donations to quadruple his television advertising, prompted the nonpartisan Cook Political Report to flip its take on the race from "likely Republican" to "tossup" and inspired a Republican who lost to Bachmann in the party's primary to launch a write-in campaign. Republican Rep. Robin Hayes, who is locked in a closely contested House race in North Carolina, has also been criticized after telling a crowd Saturday that "liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God." Hayes initially denied making the remarks, but he was forced to acknowledge them after an audiotape of the speech surfaced. "I genuinely did not recall making the statement and, after reading it, there is no doubt that it came out completely the wrong way," Hayes said in a statement released by his campaign. "I actually was trying to work to keep the crowd as respectful as possible, so this is definitely not what I intended." Hayes had spoken at a campaign rally in Concord, N.C., where Sen. John McCain appeared. The 10-year congressman told the crowd he wanted to "make sure we don't say something stupid, make sure we don't say something we don't mean." He then went on to praise Palin. "Folks, there's a great American," Hayes said. "Liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God." A spokesman for Hayes's challenger, Democrat Larry Kissell, said the Republican's remarks revealed how he truly feels. "Mr. Hayes often talks about being able to reach across the aisle and not be limited by party loyalty," said Thomas Thacker, Kissell's spokesman. "This indicates his hypocrisy knows no bounds." Kissell is making his second run at Hayes after coming within 329 votes of unseating the veteran lawmaker in 2006. This time, Kissell is better funded, as the national Democratic Party is putting more than $1 million into his race. The party is also spending heavily to help Tinklenberg unseat Bachmann, who was expected to cruise to victory before her comments. "This is quite phenomenal," said John Wodele, a spokesman for Tinklenberg. "We were doing fine, we had a good campaign going. But this has got us in a position we never thought we'd be in." More than 17,000 individual donors sent money to Tinklenberg in the days after Bachmann's television appearance. "Almost instantly, the first contributions came in, before I could get on the phone and talk to the campaign manager and the candidate to think about what our reaction was going to be," Wodele said. "Then I just realized we didn't need to discuss it because it was going on its own. It was happening, and it was coming in from around the country." Michelle Marston, Bachmann's spokeswoman, said the campaign has benefited from the controversy surrounding the congresswoman's "Hardball" appearance and it too has received additional contributions, though she would not say how much. In fact, Mike Gula and Associates, a Capitol Hill fundraising and consulting firm, has sent an e-mail seeking donations to her campaign with the subject line "Bachmann HELP -- Under Fire." |
A man exposed himself to a woman outside a school in St. Paul’s North End on Thursday, charges say. Darius Boyaa Manney, 22, faces one count of indecent exposure for the alleged crime, which took place just before 11 a.m. near the south entrance to St. Agnes School, according to the criminal complaint filed against Manney on Friday in Ramsey County District Court. The Roman Catholic school, at 535 Thomas Ave., serves children from kindergarten through 12th grade. Police were called to St. Agnes at 10:52 a.m. Thursday after a woman reported that Manney had exposed himself to her, the complaint said. He allegedly approached her while she was across the street in a parking lot and then followed her as she made her way to one of the school’s entrances. As they walked, Manney asked the woman multiple times to “show me what you are good at,” the complaint said. Related Articles Minneapolis implements winter parking restrictions; St. Paul ‘monitoring’ conditions Ordway 2019-20 season has ‘The Color Purple,’ ‘Groundhog Day,’ ‘Once on This Island’ Highland Park Middle School online threat began with argument at school, police say Minnesota United will have company. Here’s what’s up with 5 tenants moving in near Allianz Field. Chai Lee, Kris Fredson among 17 members chosen for Met Council An employee allegedly saw Manney following the woman up the school’s stairs with his pants unzipped and his genitals exposed. His actions took place while school was in session and were “reasonably capable” of being viewed by children who attend the school, the complaint said. Manney’s address was not provided in the criminal complaint and he could not be immediately reached for comment. His criminal record consists of a petty misdemeanor for operating as a solicitor or peddler without a license. |
Looking for information on boat solar panel installation? This post and my associated video explain the method I used to fit two large solar panels to a small sailing boat. Before getting stuck in to the details, let’s consider the following question: Why should I fit solar panels to my boat? Having enough electrical power to meet your power requirements, without having to run your engine or a generator to top-up your batteries, is extremely liberating. My wife and I were able to spend twenty-three consecutive nights at anchor on our honeymoon (you can read more about our trip on this page) thanks to the solar panels I installed before we set off. We had plenty of power during our trip and we never had to run the engine to top-up our batteries (Note: to reduce the demand on the batteries, we did turn off our refrigerator at night). There is something profoundly satisfying in being self sufficient like this and it opens up all sorts of possibilities for long term cruising… The following picture sums up how I felt on our honeymoon… (note the solar panels and my homemade folding tender!) Okay, I get why it’s good to have extra energy generation capacity on board, but why should I choose solar panels? Solar power is, in my opinion, the best solution for additional power generation on board a boat. This is for the following reasons: Solar power is silent. Let’s face it, you need extra electrical power when you are not attached to shore power. Hopefully, this mean’s you’ll be anchored somewhere really beautiful and peaceful. Yes, some modern wind generators are fairly quiet and there are even some gasoline-powered generators, such as the Honda Super Quiet Generator, which you can use without giving you and the rest of your crew a headache. Listening to the waves lapping gently against your hull is the sweetest symphony and is only truly appreciated on a blissfully quiet boat… Solar panels are completely silent – and you won’t get any quieter than that! Let’s face it, you need extra electrical power when you are not attached to shore power. Hopefully, this mean’s you’ll be anchored somewhere really beautiful and peaceful. Yes, some modern wind generators are fairly quiet and there are even some gasoline-powered generators, such as the Honda Super Quiet Generator, which you can use without giving you and the rest of your crew a headache. Listening to the waves lapping gently against your hull is the sweetest symphony and is only truly appreciated on a blissfully quiet boat… Solar panels are completely silent – and you won’t get any quieter than that! Solar panels are extremely reliable. Modern solar panels are often guaranteed for 25 years. In the harsh marine environment, failure with technical equipment is very common. Salt water spray, powerful UV rays, humidity and the constant motion of boats can mean that the lifespan of equipment on board might be a tenth of what it would be for the same item used on shore. Solar panels are hermetically sealed and have no moving parts. They are pretty unique in being something you can add to a boat without adding to your maintenance workload. Modern solar panels are often guaranteed for 25 years. In the harsh marine environment, failure with technical equipment is very common. Salt water spray, powerful UV rays, humidity and the constant motion of boats can mean that the lifespan of equipment on board might be a tenth of what it would be for the same item used on shore. Solar panels are hermetically sealed and have no moving parts. They are pretty unique in being something you can add to a boat without adding to your maintenance workload. Solar panels don’t need spares or consumables. Fitting extra gear onto a boat is often a challenge, especially on smaller boats where space is always at a premium. You might easily find room for a small generator but, don’t forget: you’ll also need to find room in an external locker for the fuel, you’ll need room in your tender to be able to carry the fuel, and you will need room on board to store the necessary spares for servicing / repairing the engine… The only spare I have on board for our solar system is a small, cheap and lightweight PWM charge controller, which I can use to replace the MPPT charge controller I installed in the event that it should ever fail. How many watts do I need? This varies from boat to boat and also from crew to crew. A boat with a single 50 watt panel might have no problems with power generation. An identical boat with two 50 watt panels might not generate enough to keep up with the demands placed on the system by the actions of its crew. If you want to be serious about answering this question then you can calculate your power usage and then use the results to calculate the output of the solar panes required to meet those demands. If you want a simpler answer then my advice is to have a good look at your boat and work out the maximum amount of solar panel wattage that you can practically get on board. As already explained, I believe that fitting solar panels is THE best way to generate power on board a boat. While you are making the effort to fit solar panels to your boat, you might as well fit as much as you can – without ‘going overboard’ of course! Where is the best place to fit solar panels on a boat? In my mind, the three most important factors to consider are: Maintaining the safety and practicality of the boat. It would be possible to cover the walkways of a sailing boat boat with solar panels. However, if someone risks slipping overboard every time they approach the bow, the state of charge of your batteries will be the least of your worries… Maximising the output of your panels. The output from a solar panel will plummet as soon as it receives even a small amount of shading. The effect is remarkable and if you want to test this, place a baseball cap on a large solar panel and watch the output fall off a cliff. I originally considered fitting our panels under the boom, where they were out of the way and easy to fit. However, once I worked out how much shading the panels would receive from the boom and mainsail, that location just didn’t make sense any more. If you can manage to find a way to angle the panels so that they are perpendicular to the sun’s rays, then you will fully maximise the output of your solar panels. I found an easy and cheap way to do this and I cover this in more detail in my video further down this page. Making use of existing structures. Everything you add to a boat has some kind of negative consequence. By taking a good look at what structure you already have on the boat, you may be able to find a solution which makes the most of something which is already on the boat. For example, on my boat the solar panel mounts have made use of, and gain strength from, the existing pushpit. By using existing structures you will avoid uneccesarily adding windage and will have less things to polish! If you already have a radar arch then you may be able to modify that in order to fit your solar panels. I cover these topics, and many more, in my YouTube video ‘How to fit Big solar panels on a SMALL boat’, below: The video can be summarised as follows: Step 1. Decide where to fit your solar panels. Step 2. Buy the largest solar panels you can based on your budget and the space available on board. Step 3. Buy a solar charge controller. I recommend investing a little bit more (on my boat an extra £40) to get an MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) charge controller. These charge controllers not only reduce the voltage being sent to the batteries, like with a standard PWM charge controller, but they also simultaneously increase the amperage of the charge going to your batteries. Long story short: they squeeze the maximum efficiency out of your panels. While you are going to the trouble and expense of fitting solar panels, in my mind it is a wise investment to get a charge controller which wil maximise the efficiency of your system. Step 4. Fit your solar panels. The video details my method of fitting the solar panels which allows them to be repositioned to track the sun. (I wanted to be able to sqeeze as much as possible out of my system) You can make your own version and the only tools you need are: a drill; some decent drill bits [Cobalt drill bits are ideal but you can manage with standard HSS drill bits]; some small spanners; and a pipe-cutter. If you’ve never used a pipe-cutter before the video demonstrates how easy they are to use. They are a great addition to your boat’s tool kit! ***I forgot to mention this in the video, but I also used Locktite on all the grub screws, and any nuts used are Nylock nuts. Because of this I can be confident that nothing will work loose over the coming years.*** Fit your solar panels. The video details my method of fitting the solar panels which allows them to be repositioned to track the sun. (I wanted to be able to sqeeze as much as possible out of my system) You can make your own version and the only tools you need are: a drill; some decent drill bits [Cobalt drill bits are ideal but you can manage with standard HSS drill bits]; some small spanners; and a pipe-cutter. If you’ve never used a pipe-cutter before the video demonstrates how easy they are to use. They are a great addition to your boat’s tool kit! ***I forgot to mention this in the video, but I also used Locktite on all the grub screws, and any nuts used are Nylock nuts. Because of this I can be confident that nothing will work loose over the coming years.*** Step 5. Run the cables and make the electrical connections. To get the most from your panels, wire them in parallel, rather than in series. This has the effect of making the two panels function more independently and any shading occurring on one panel will have less of an effect on the other. One of my YouTube viewers made the following suggestion: This is a great suggestion from Alan – I’ve searched online and the bicycle saddle quick release clips appear to be too large for my stainless steel tubing / dyneema combination. I could manufacture spacers to take up the play but I also have some doubts about the corrosion resistance of these type of clamps. If anyone has any experience using them at sea please let us know how they hold up. I think I’ll eventually be able to find some stainless steel thumbscrew jubilee clips… If you know where I can find these then please let me know! You can buy the solar panes, charge controller and pipe cutter here: Solar panels https://amzn.to/2vRNmtx MPPT Charge Controller https://amzn.to/2w9Q3WV Pipe cutter https://amzn.to/2wdDNof How will you be mounting solar panels on your boat? If you have any comments or questions then please post them below. I hope this post has been useful to you. If it was then please share it on social media to help me put food on our dinner table. Cheers! Chris 👍 |
There was a bit of controversy in the baseball world Wednesday night when a toddler at the Rangers-Yankees game broke into tears when a ball tossed into the stands appeared to be callously stolen by the couple sitting next to him. But things aren’t always what they seem, and the couple wants everyone to know that they are not the evil monsters everyone thinks they are. Sean Leonard and Shannon Moore, who are getting married this weekend, told WFAA-TV they were attending their first Rangers game together and were so excited and into each other that they didn’t even notice the boy, or that he was crying. “My fiance Shannon and I were honestly unaware of the situation of the little boy sitting next to us last night since we were so caught up in the excited and moment of being at our first Ranger’s baseball game together,” he wrote in a statement. Leonard said as a soon-to-be large combined family of seven, that he and Shannon understand the emotions of a young child at a game. They spoke to News 8 Thursday afternoon. “I love children, I would never hurt someone,” Shannon Moore said. The boy eventually received a different ball from the Rangers, so all is good in the world. Leonard, and Moore, however, said that the reaction on the internet has been hurtful, and they would like an apology from Yankees announcer Michael Kay, who insinuated on the air that they were insensitive. Maybe Kay should throw in some candlesticks, or a place setting, too. You can follow Bob on Twitter here, or if Facebook is your thing, be his friend here. |
RaboDirect PRO12 Leamy raises retirement concerns ESPN Staff Munster No.8 Denis Leamy faces an uncertain future due to a persistent hip injury. Capped 57 times by Ireland, the 30-year-old has been sidelined since January and it is possible that he may have to join regional team-mate David Wallace in retiring. Leamy will consult specialists at the end of the month but he remains upbeat about his chances of returning to the playing field. "It's a very difficult injury and I have to see a consultant at the end of the month and obviously a lot depends on the advice he has to give," Leamy told The Irish Examiner. "At the moment it's positive but I do have a lot of concerns as to whether I can continue or not because there's a lot of damage around the joint. "The injuries that require surgery, there's always that doubt but I wouldn't be writing the obituary notice just yet. The minute you walk through the gates of a rugby team, you know that at one stage you'll have to walk out the door as well. "It's a revolving door, you'd be under no illusions that some day it would come to an end and hopefully it won't be for a while yet in my case." © ESPN Sports Media Ltd. |
Beating police repression after the student occupation Police intelligence watchdog Fitwatch published the following article on their site after the events at 30 Millbank, London last Wednesday. The Metropolitan Police responded by pressuring their domain host into closing down for “at least 12 months”. This is likely because of the advice it was offering to students in the wake of the Millbank occupation. Whilst the “moderate” left remain wilfully ignorant, those in power know all too well what direct action can achieve and wish to nip it in the bud. In defiance of that aim and in solidarity with both those at Millbank and those who run Fitwatch, Liverpool Solidarity Federation reproduce their last post. The remarkable and brilliant student action at Millbank has produced some predictable frothing at the mouth from the establishment and right wing press. Cameron has called for the ‘full weight of the law’ to fall on those who had caused tens of thousands of pounds of damage to the expensive decor at Tory party HQ. Responsibility is being placed on ‘a violent faction’, after the march was ‘infiltrated’ by anarchists. There are an encouraging number of intiatives to show solidarity with the arrested students – something that is vital if they are to avoid the sort of punitive ‘deterrent’ sentences handed out to the Gaza demonstrators. A legal support group has been established and the National Campaign against Cuts and Fees has started a support campaign. Goldsmiths lecturers union has publicly commended the students for a ‘magnificent demonstration’ . This is all much needed, as the establishment is clearly on the march with this one. The Torygraph has published an irresponsible and frenzied ‘shop-a-student’ piece and the Met are clearly under pressure to produce ‘results’ after what they have admitted was a policing ‘embarrassment’. 51 people have been arrested so far, and the police have claimed they took the details of a further 250 people in the kettle using powers under the Police Reform Act. There may be more arrests to come. Students who are worried should consider taking the following actions: If you have been arrested, or had your details taken – contact the legal support campaign. As a group you can support each other, and mount a coherent campaign. If you fear you may be arrested as a result of identification by CCTV, FIT or press photography: DON’T panic. Press photos are not necessarily conclusive evidence, and just because the police have a photo of you doesn’t mean they know who you are. DON’T hand yourself in. The police often use the psychological pressure of knowing they have your picture to persuade you to ‘come forward’. Unless you have a very pressing reason to do otherwise, let them come and find you, if they know who you are. DO get rid of your clothes. There is no chance of suggesting the bloke in the video is not you if the clothes he is wearing have been found in your wardrobe. Get rid of ALL clothes you were wearing at the demo, including YOUR SHOES, your bag, and any distinctive jewellery you were wearing at the time. Yes, this is difficult, especially if it is your only warm coat or decent pair of boots. But it will be harder still if finding these clothes in your flat gets you convicted of violent disorder. DON’T assume that because you can identify yourself in a video, a judge will be able to as well. ‘That isn’t me’ has got many a person off before now. DO keep away from other demos for a while. The police will be on the look-out at other demos, especially student ones, for people they have put on their ‘wanted’ list. Keep a low profile. DO think about changing your appearance. Perhaps now is a good time for a make-over. Get a haircut and colour, grow a beard, wear glasses. It isn’t a guarantee, but may help throw them off the scent. DO keep your house clean. Get rid of spray cans, demo related stuff, and dodgy texts / photos on your phone. Don’t make life easy for them by having drugs, weapons or anything illegal in the house. DO get the name and number of a good lawyer you can call if things go badly. The support group has the names of recommended lawyers on their site. Take a bit of time to read up on your rights in custody, especially the benefits of not commenting in interview. DO be careful who you speak about this to. Admit your involvement in criminal damage / disorder ONLY to people you really trust. DO try and control the nerves and panic. Waiting for a knock on the door is stressful in the extreme, but you need to find a way to get on with business as normal. Otherwise you’ll be serving the sentence before you are even arrested. Advertisements |
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