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By By Patrick Henningsen 21st Century Wire A recent article in the UK Independent headlined US Waives White Flag in Disastrous War on Drugs illustrates the tacit announcement by some leading US policy makers that they are abandoning the failed 40 year-long ‘War on Drugs’. This couldn’t come too soon for a war that has cost thousands of lives, hundreds of billions of tax dollars and has helped push the domestic US prison population to an estimated 2,000,000 inmates, a number that surpasses even China in the international incarceration league table. Contained within this same article is also one of the mainstream media’s few official admissions of a direct link between the War on Terror and a government sponsored global narcotics trade. UK Independent writer Hugh O’Shaughnessy states here: “Evidence points to aircraft – familiarly known as “torture taxis” – used by the CIA to move captives seized in its kidnapping or “extraordinary rendition” operations through Gatwick and other airports in the EU being simultaneously used for drug distribution in the Western hemisphere. A Gulfstream II jet aircraft N9875A identified by the British Government and the European Parliament as being involved in this traffic crashed in Mexico…” In 2004, another torture taxi crashed in a field in Nicaragua with a ton of cocaine aboard. It had been identified by Britain and the European Parliament’s temporary committee on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners as a frequent visitor in 2004 and 2005 to British, Cypriot, Czech, German, Greek, Hungarian, Spanish and other European cities with its cargo of captives for secret imprisonment and torture in Iraq, Jordan and Azerbaijan.” According to multiple news agency reports, the said Gulfstream II private jet (tail number N987SA) which crash landed on September 24th, 2007 in Yucatan, Mexico came down after being chased by Mexican military helicopters for flying illegally into Mexican airspace. Mexican soldiers found no bodies at the crash site but did discover 132 bags containing 3.3 metric tons of cocaine. The origination of the Gulfstream’s flight is unknown but it was destined for Cancun when it crash landed. Again, here is the important point: that same Gulf Stream II was one of the very same planes chartered to the CIA for the rendition of suspected terrorists prisoners. Knowing these two facts- the history of this aircraft and its cargo on this occasion, it should not be surprising that this illegal practice of rendition has in some part, been used as a well-run smokescreen for another borderless illegal operation- an extremely lucrative international transfer and delivery of cash and narcotics. One may also speculate about what other cargos with a high black market value could also be moved freely on such high level government contracted transport, namely weapons, ‘company asset’ operatives, and other human cargo. These flights are not subject to regular customs checks, inspections or normal regulations as they move seamlessly between destinations in the US, Britain, Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, Cuba and possibly through US bases in Turkey, Greece and Morocco. The now well-known practice of extraordinary rendition is defined as “the apprehension and extrajudicial transfer of a person from one sovereign state to another”. It was originally alleged (but now widely understood) that the CIA has been running a secret global abduction and internment operation of suspected terrorists, going by Washington’s own innocuous and politically correct name of “extraordinary rendition”, which since 2001 has reportedly captured an estimated 3,000 people and transported them around the world using a series of private contractor and charter transport companies. Early on, US officials denied charges of “torture by proxy”, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who famously stated at Andrews Air Force Base, December 5, 2005 that the United States does not torture terrorists and declaring rendition as “a vital, legal tool to combat terrorism, save lives.” Rendition was famously inscribed in the mainstream with the 2007 award-winning film Rendition starring Meryl Streep and Jake Gyllenhaal, and in the Oscar Winning documentary film Taxi to the Dark Side(2007). RT Interview: Torture still continues under Obama: . Unsurprisingly, this dark US program has prompted several official investigations into alleged secret detentions, the routine torture detainees and unlawful inter-state transfers involving Council of Europe member states. June 2006 report estimated 100 people had been kidnapped by the CIA with the cooperation of Council of Europe members, and ‘rendered’ to other countries, often after having transited through secret detention centres or ‘ black sites ’ used by the CIA. According to a separate European Parliament Report on February 2007 , the CIA had conducted some 1,245 flights between 2001 and 2006, many of them to destinations where suspects could face torture, this, in violation of article 3 of the United Nations Convention Against Torture . Investigations into the issue have cited a series of flight landing schedules and aircraft verifying the identity and stopovers of rendition flights worldwide, some of which can be viewed here Why Rendition? . The problem with rendition has not been the public’s ability to determine whether or not it was actually happening – volumes upon volumes of testimony and official evidence have confirmed this practice and is now part of the public record. Debate in the US on its legality has been mired for years in legal knots and trap doors thanks to a series of US Attorney Generals, Presidential legal advisors, lawyers and the mainstream media, all of whom have sought to defend the US right to use extrajudicial kidnapping and torture to maintain its own perceived national security during its endless “War on Terror”. The real question with rendition that has stumped many an astute analyst has always been why it is happening. Thanks to testimonies by released prisoners and films like Taxi from the Dark to the Dark Side, we have learned that the majority of these ‘enemy combatants’ picked up and detained at gulag franchises like Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and Bagram were not hard-core terrorist or non-state-actors. Many were in fact taxi drivers, farmers, school teachers, goat herders or unfortunate bystanders, including prisoners on whom a per-head cash bounty was paid to Afghan informants by the US Military in order to meet perceived bureaucrat quotas to justify the ongoing War on Terror. It goes without saying that the so-called “intelligence” gleaned from these random detainees, including information extracted through “enhanced interrogation” techniques (a euphemism for torture) could not possibly be of any real value in the context of thwarting a genuine or imagined terror attack in the future. Undoubtedly, many within the US Intelligence structure must be aware of this reality. So why continue the decade-long practice of kidnapping and torture? If you consider recent history, you will see how time and time again- arbitrary wars against non-existent enemies can provide the ideal cover for the bulk of the international narcotics and black market trade. Consider it a value-added aspect of any war or conflict. Drug Assisted Wars: An Established Practice Students of recent history will know of covert and state-sponsored drugs trafficking, most of which is linked to one war or another. The 1980’s saw to escalation of America’s “War on Drugs”, an effort which coincided with a parallel escalation of cocaine production, exportation and distribution out of Columbia, and heroin out of Afghanistan and Laos. In Vietnam and Laos, the CIA used it’s charter shell company aka “Air America” to flying in weapons to its allies and return with high-grade Heroin. The scope of this operation was revealed somewhat to mainstream culture through films like Air America (1990) and American Gangster (2007), both film based on real events which transpired during the Vietnam era. To understand the full scope of these US “Drug Assisted Wars”, you can read this comprehensive report by Prof Peter Dale Scott. Scott explains here: “In Afghanistan in 2001 as in 1980, and as in Laos in 1959, the U.S. intervention has since been a bonanza for the international drug syndicates. With the increase of chaos in the countryside, and number of aircraft flying in and out of the country, opium production more than doubled, from 3276 metric tons in 2000 (and 185 in 2001, the year of a Taliban ban on opium) to 8,200 metric tons in 2007.” Why does the U.S. intervene repeatedly on the same side as the most powerful local drug traffickers? Some years ago I summarized the conventional wisdom on this matter: Partly this has been from realpolitik – in recognition of the local power realities represented by the drug traffic. Partly it has been from the need to escape domestic political restraints: the traffickers have supplied additional financial resources needed because of US budgetary limitations, and they have also provided assets not bound (as the U.S. is) by the rules of war. … These facts…have led to enduring intelligence networks involving both oil and drugs, or more specifically both petrodollars and “narco-dollars”. These networks, particularly in the Middle East, have become so important that they affect, not just the conduct of US foreign policy, but the health and behavior of the US government, US banks and corporations, and indeed the whole of US society.” Yet, despite the knowledge of these known government sponsored operations and the reality on the ground, both the US Bush Jr and the UK Blair governments along with its compliant media arms, has attempted to paint the Taliban as somehow proliferating and driving the illegal drugs trade in that country. This idea was also parroted by the media in a cynical attempt to provide another moral reason to occupy Afghanistan since 2001. But with 2009 recent mainstream news stories about the US-backed President Karzai’s own brother Ahmed Wali Karzai being both a drug lord and a CIA informant, there should be little doubt as to the importance of Hamid Karzai as a US puppet of choice and his links to the opium-heroin trade there- a key spoke in the CIA’s wheel of operations in the region. CIA Drug Running Circa 1980 The infamous IRAN-CONTRA scandal was the public’s first real look into a somewhat triangular international trade of weapons, cash and cocaine between the Columbia-Nicaragua, US and Iran, one where the CIA played a central role. Likewise, heroin played a key role in maintaining CIA operations in Afghanistan during the Mujahideen insurgency of the 1980’s. Revenue from the heroin trade was used to finance various insurgent groups during the Soviet-Afghan war, in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The very same bank implicated in the IRAN-CONTRA scandal- the Bank of Commerce and Credit International (BCCI), was also supporting the CIA’s covert operations, by funding the Mujahideen through the laundering of drug money. Drugs money was used or “recycled” by using a series of high-profile banking institutions in conjunction with a number of anonymous CIA shell companies: “Because the US wanted to supply the Mujahideen rebels in Afghanistan with stinger missiles and other military hardware it needed the full cooperation of Pakistan. By the mid-1980s, the CIA operation in Islamabad was one of the largest US intelligence stations in the World. `If BCCI is such an embarrassment to the US that forthright investigations are not being pursued it has a lot to do with the blind eye the US turned to the heroin trafficking in Pakistan,” said a US intelligence officer. (“The Dirtiest Bank of All,” Time, July 29, 1991, p. 22) Film: “Crack the CIA”: . Big Winners: The Banks Certainly banks like BCCI played their role in facilitating numerous dirty money deals including those during the IRAN-CONTRA affair. Banks benefit significantly from drug trafficking. According to a recent report in the London Observer, drugs money worth billions of dollars provided liquidity for Wall Street and the City of London’s leading banks and kept the financial system afloat at the height of the global meltdown. Another Senate staff report estimates “that $500 billion to $1 trillion in criminal proceeds are laundered through banks worldwide each year, with about half of that amount moved through United States banks.” The London Independent reported in 2004 that drug trafficking constitutes “the third biggest global commodity in cash terms after oil and the arms trade.” In the Beginning: The Opium Wars Between Britain and China War has long played its part as a curtain behind which the international drugs trade has thrived. Opium, which was not prohibited in the US, UK and Ireland, was smuggled by merchants from British India into China in defiance of Chinese prohibition laws. The First Opium War between Britain and China began in 1839. Further disputes over the treatment of British merchants in Chinese ports resulted in the Second Opium War. China was defeated in both wars leaving its government having to tolerate the opium trade in which cheap narcotics plagued Chinese society. China stance of prohibition on the issue of opium laid the groundwork for a network of organised crime in South East Asia, one which endures until today. In an effort to control the movement and supply of illicit goods by sea, Britain forced the Chinese government at that time into signing the a number of Unequal Treaties as well as the annexation of Hong Kong by Britain. Chinese found these agreements humiliating and these sentiments contributed to the Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864), the Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901), and the downfall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912, putting an end to dynastic China and laying the ground of domestic discontent and power vacuum which culminated in the Communist revolution later during the 20th Century. The War on Nothing Whether it’s the War on Drugs, the War on Crime, or the War on Terror, by now experience should teach us that our government can neither wage, nor win “wars” against abstract nouns. Formally and mutually “declaring war” must first recognise sovereignty, which generally assures formally Declared Peace, a Cease Fire, an Armistice etc or a Surrender with Cessation of Hostilities for a mutually agreed and declared “Victory”. There can be no victory in such political pursuits, only ultimate defeat. History is clear on this. Yet, we are told that, “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing,” and “there is no other option,” even if it means losing everything else from morality and integrity, to wealth and freedom (as in the case of the War on Terror). We were told that we needed rendition and torture to keep America safe from terrorists. The results, or lack thereof, certainly speak for themselves. Insiders at the CIA may even tell you, off the record, that involvement in illegal drugs trafficking is essential to fund operations which our elected officials will not sanction. But don’t be fooled – billions in black market cash is the real grease that fuels our Shadow Governments and turns the wheels of power and control worldwide. Who collects and controls that cash effectively controls all dark aspects of politics, business and the major global crime industries. Whether it’s under Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr, Clinton, Bush Jr – or Obama, the policies have remained the same and the damage to our bottom line has been mountainous. Americans may also ask themselves whether or not practices like indefinite detention, torture and ‘black’ prisons makes them proud to fly the stars and stripes. It’s time to ditch the policies we have come to tolerate for decades before they consume what is still left of our moral core. READ MORE FALSE FLAG NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire War on Terror Files SUPPORT OUR WORK BY SUBSCRIBING & BECOMING A MEMBER @21WIRE.TV |
ZTE, after launching its Axon, Axon Elite, and Axon Lux earlier this year, over the weekend launched a new smartphone - Axon Mini. The handset would debut in China followed by Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Russia, Japan, India, Australia, France, Germany, Turkey, Spain and Italy 'in coming months'. While the Ion Gold and Chromium Silver colour variants would cost CNY 2,299 (roughly Rs. 23,500), the Rose Gold variant would cost CNY 2,399 (roughly Rs. 24,500). The company also mentioned about a Premium Edition version of the smartphone, which would cost CNY 2,699 (roughly Rs. 27, 600). Unfortunately, the details of the Premium Edition is scarce at the moment. The ZTE Axon NBA version was also launched by the company. First unveiled in July this year, the ZTE Axon Mini's claim to fame is its pressure-sensitive touchscreen "that recognizes different levels of touch pressure for enhanced functions and experience, such as interactive gaming, passwords and more." The smartphone features 5.2-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) resolution Super Amoled display with 2.5D curved-edge screen. The smartphone is backed by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 processor, clubbed with 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 405 GPU. It houses a 13-megapixel rear camera with Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with a 5P aspherical lens. Sporting a aircraft-grade aluminium-titanium alloy build, the ZTE Axon Mini equips 32GB of inbuilt storage, which can be further expanded via a microSD card (up to 128GB). It is backed by a 2800mAh battery, the handset features a fingerprint sensor and an eye-scan sensor. "Devices in our ZTE AXON product lines are designed entirely with consumers in mind and to be the nerve center of everything they do," said Adam Zeng, CEO, ZTE Mobile Devices. "Our high-end flagship strategy is now in full swing and we believe we have all of the ingredients to become a leading consumer electronics brand globally." (Also see: ZTE Axon Mini vs. ZTE Axon Lux vs. ZTE Axon Elite vs. ZTE Axon) From the looks of it, the Axon Mini specifications match a lot with that of ZTE Axon Elite, which was showcased during IFA 2015. However, the latter missed out on features such as pressure-sensitive touchscreen and was powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. The company also launched the ZTE Axon Watch in China. While the price of the device has not been mentioned, the company would make the smartwatch available in China starting October 27. The ZTE Axon Watch features a 1.4-inch (400x400 pixels) resolution display covered with Gorilla Glass screen and sapphire coating. The IP67-certified wearable device includes a 512MB of DDR2 RAM, 4GB inbuilt storage, and supports both voice and gesture control. The Tencent OS-based smartwatch is backed by a 300mAh battery. It comes with number of fitness-based applications and also shows handset notifications. |
The Hamas movement has rejected US President Donald Trump's comments linking it to "terrorism" in his speech in Saudi Arabia, saying it shows his "complete bias" towards Israel. "The statement describing Hamas as a terror group is rejected and is a distortion of our image and shows a complete bias to the Zionist occupation," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in a statement on Sunday. Barhoum dubbed the speech a "confirmation" that Trump is following the policy of previous US administrations. Trump addressed the leaders of 55 Muslim countries in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and said they must take the lead in combating "radicalisation". "The true toll of ISIS [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant], al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, and so many others, must be counted not only in the number of dead. It must also be counted in generations of vanished dreams," said Trump in the speech. READ MORE: What is next for Hamas? Hamas says its battle is against Israeli occupation, not the West. The movement presented a new political charter earlier this month that accepts the formation of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, without recognising the statehood of Israel, and says that the conflict in Palestine is not a religious one. Trump's speech came on the second day of a visit to Saudi Arabia, part of Trump's first foreign tour that will take him next to Israel and occupied Palestinian territories and then to Europe. Palestinian activists call for protests against Trump Meanwhile, Palestinian activists have called for a "Day of Rage" when Trump visits the West Bank on Tuesday. The call for mobilisation was put out by a group calling itself the Supreme National Leadership Committee, which includes various Palestinian political factions, including Abbas's Fatah movement. The committee was set up in support of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli prisons. PROFILE: Ismail Haniya - Hamas' political chief The demonstrations are meant to draw attention to a month-long hunger strike by hundreds of prisoners being held by Israel and to protest what many Palestinians say is unfair US support for Israel. In a statement, the group said on Sunday the Palestinian factions "affirm their rejection of the American position, which is biased in favour of the occupation". Trump's visit to Israel and occupied Palestinian territories on Monday and Tuesday will be closely scrutinised as he seeks ways to restart peace efforts. |
First, a baboon named Austin was made to do laps while riding a pony. Then he got called a “c**ksucker” on live TV when he jumped off. That’s exactly what happened during a Breakfast Television segment when a camera crew visited the Bowmanville Zoo in Ontario on Friday. “F**k you, c**ksucker,” zoo owner Michael Hackenberger is clearly heard whispering into his live mic after Austin the baboon decided he was bored of the pony trick. Here’s a clip of what went down (the baboon and f-bomb): And here’s another short video with clearer audio: Austin, the consummate professional, then jumped over obstacles and leapt between platforms to appease his human handler. He finished the live segment by rejecting the treat offered to him at the end. Breakfast Television host Kevin Frankish responded to the salty slip by acknowledging, “We failed animals today.” He added that TV crews will no longer visit the zoo. Like Us On Facebook Follow Us On Twitter Also on HuffPost: |
As chief creative officer of DC Entertainment, Geoff Johns handles the company's properties across a variety of multimedia formats while still writing comics and other projects. We spoke to him recently about his work on Batman: Arkham Origins, Injustice: Gods Among Us, and his graphic novel Batman: Earth One (shown above). Can you describe the many facets of your job in a nutshell? I’ve been writing comics for a long time now - over 10 years - mostly for DC Comics. Since I was a kid I’ve always loved DC Comics. I’ve written for games, TV, and film. I work at DC Entertainment in a role where I am still a writer by trade, but I work with Warner Bros. and all the divisions like Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, theatrical, television, and consumer products on anything DC. I guess I’m kind of an evangelist and liaison from the comic books to all the media stuff. That includes games. I’m a huge gamer; I love games. Can you talk about your first exposure to Arkham Asylum back when it first came out? Well I bought it and played it as a fan. I was blown away like everybody else by what Rocksteady did and what the game entailed. I love superhero games not because they were any good, but back in the day... I don’t know if you remember the Death and Return of Superman SNES game, even though it was just a simple 2D sidescroller I still loved it because it was based on the lore. All these years later to have a superhero game based on the mythology I really love be executed so brilliantly and be a great game, it’s like the Christopher Nolan movies. They’re great films and then they also happen to be Batman films. And this was a fantastic game that also happened to be a Batman game. You became chief creative officer in 2010. Did you do any consulting on Arkham City, or did you play that as a fan as well? We worked on Arkham City. I mean it was already started, but we worked on Arkham City during that time with the guys. Can you describe the early discussions on Arkham Origins? We talked about what would be interesting to explore, what story they wanted to tell -- it was all character based at first. The story is the first thing we spoke about, and what the world would be like, what Batman would be like, what certain characters would be like. You would see characters roll back like Penguin or characters you’ve seen before, what they looked like, what their relationships were, and how that would eventually evolve into the Arkham games. Geoff Johns How did it progress from there? It’s a lot of conference calls at first when we’re talking big, big picture. We try to do at least video conference calls and talk about it. Eric [Holmes, creative director] was out here and Ames [Kirshen, executive producer WBIE] and I would go out and have drinks or whatever and talk about it in general. The day-to-day is really trying to support them and let them tell what their vision is. With all my friends that love comic books it's just the same type of thing - "Wouldn’t this be cool?" It was an absolute pleasure. We're constantly talking about things that are either story-driven, character-driven, or game-driven. It changes all the time. How would you compare your comic take on the origin of Batman in Earth One versus what WB Montreal is doing? It’s really different. In Batman: Earth One...the first time you see [Batman] he tries to make a jump off a rooftop and can’t make it. This is really beta Batman. It’s Batman before he’s good. The Batman in Origins still kicks ass and he’s learning kind of trial by fire. Batman Earth One was tackling a Batman who was doing it for the wrong reasons and not doing it very well. He's ultimately learning that maybe the reason he’s doing this or why he should continue to do this aren’t quite the same reasons as when he started to do this. This story is very different. The [Origins] story is further along. He’s very confident in what he’s doing. It's called Arkham Origins and it really is the introduction of what Arkham means. Arkham evokes a sense of insanity and chaos embodied in the twisted minds and colorful villains of the Batman universe. That had to start somewhere. This is really more about Batman’s initiation into that insane world, where my book’s more about Batman as a vigilante and really deciding which path to go down. Would you say that Origins is more closely tied to the traditional Batman comic canon than Batman: Earth One? Yeah, I would. Obviously it’s got the DNA of Arkham and Arkham City. That stuff springs forward from the comics. Batman: Earth One is almost like Arkham Origins Origins. It’s even before this. One of the cool things to see in a new Arkham game is the take on character designs. What was your impression of the new Batman? Character design was something we talked a lot about and went through very meticulously. There’s a lot of debate on all sorts of characters. Every single character in there, you’d start with the Arkham and Arkham City version and then look and scroll it back and say, "Well, where were they back then?" Those designs reflect that. I’m excited for people to see them. There’s one in particular I found very interesting that evolves throughout the first game. You’ll see a character start somewhere and eventually end up and match right up with Arkham, which is cool. We know about Deathstroke and Black Mask. We talk a lot about Deathstroke because he's not traditionally a Batman villain. He’s a DC Universe villain. You’ll see how the DC Universe actually opens up a little bit in some of this stuff coming up like [Batman: Arkham Origins] Blackgate. There’s a reason Deathstroke’s in the game and there’s a story that he has that opens us up to a bigger DC universe. There are some nice surprises in there. You want to keep people guessing and keep them unsure of what’s around the next corner. Part of the reason the Arkham games work so well is the storytelling is just phenomenal. The gameplay’s amazing, but the storytelling’s just as good. [Next page: Geoff Johns talks working with the Injustice team, more Arkham Origins, and writing DC Universe Online.] Batman: Arkham Origins I understand you’ve been playing a decent amount of Injustice? I love Injustice. I grew up on Mortal Kombat. I would stay up late in college, and we’d play all the Mortal Kombat games. NetherRealm’s a fantastic studio – so for them, give them free reign with the DC characters and work with them. Ed Boon and everyone there has been amazing to work with. It’s really fantastic. How would you compare working on something like Injustice versus Arkham Origins? Well, they’re very different games, but the basic conceit’s the same for me. NetherRealm, obviously they really know what they’re’ doing. They’re an amazing studio. They make the best fighting games there are. So to have them tackle the DC universe, really you want to give them free reign. We talk a lot about character choice. We’re all about which characters are going to be featured in the game, how are they going to be featured. We get as specific as what’s in the background. As a DC fan I think you’ll go crazy in Injustice because of all the detail. It’s very, very detailed. The story aside, which is crazy on its own merits, but the detail in the backgrounds and interactivity of these arenas is unlike anything anyone’s ever seen. Even the finishing moves and the combo moves, everything is so detailed. The entrances of the characters, the exits, everything’s so detailed to the character's lore, and that’s what we worked with them on. It was really rounding out the mythology and building that world as much as we possibly could. It’s just a different type of game. One’s all Batman. With Arkham Origins, you know where it goes. You’re in a world that’s already established, going back to the early days by telling an origins story, obviously. And in Injustice it’s creating a whole new DC universe in a very specific style, with a very specific setting and story to get you into this arena. Each character from Green Lantern to Aquaman, they feel really big. They feel like they should – modern day gods. When you do Aquaman’s finishing move, or you even see Aquaman coming or fight, he’s got that regalness and that power that the character deserves. So they’re different games because they work in different arenas and they want to accomplish different things. Again, the sentiment’s the same: let the people who have the talent use that talent to execute the best DC fighting game or Batman video game that they can. We’re here to support that. Injustice: Gods Among Us Speaking of totally different takes on a DC universe, you wrote the core story for DC Universe Online. Was that your first major video game writing project? Yeah. That was the first one I really tackled. My goal was to do the engine of the story. There are many stories so obviously a lot of writers came in and built upon that. My goal with them was to write the engine of the game as what scenario would spark off something like this where all these heroes had to amass. It’s been a while now since I did that, but I do remember my first instinct was to make the world feel really big. I just love the idea of the symbolism of the rocket ship landing on Earth and Ma and Pa Kent finding young Clark kicking off the DC universe. For me I wanted to do something that would twist that and so it was a rocket that crashed in Metropolis and Superman saved it and out came Luthor from the future. I remember his first words in the document were, "I’ve come back in time. We need to save the future, Clark." I just thought that was cool. We built from that the Brainiac story and everything else, but I really want to play with the idea of having Luthor travel back in time and suddenly try and become a hero. So I wrote the core concept of that and then other people came in and wrote all the side missions and things like that. Are you interested in writing for another video game in the future? It all depends on what my schedule is and what the game is. I’d love to. I absolutely love games. There are certain characters I think would make great games that I’d love to tackle, but it all depends on my schedule. I like playing them a lot. When Halo 4 comes out, my weekends disappear a little bit. Click the banner below for more of our ongoing coverage of Batman: Arkham Origins. And for more news about comics and games stay tuned for our Denver Comic Con coverage May 30 through June 3. |
Every now and then, you meet “one of those guys.” As in dedicated. Loyal. True-blue. His name is Nime Saab, and he works at Brann’s Steakhouse and Sports Grille on Leonard Street NW. Aside from being completely gracious to the point of beguiling, get this: In 32 years of washing dishes and swabbing floors and prepping salads and stocking shelves, he’s never missed a single day of work. If you do the math, accounting for a couple week’s vacation yearly and workweeks stretched to six days, you’re talking nearly 10,000 consecutive days without a miss. Ten. Thousand. Days. And with all due respect to the Brann family, working behind the scenes in any commercial kitchen ain’t exactly champagne and big cigars. There’s heavy lifting and scalding water and working at close quarters and having to touch other people’s food and tableware; it’s beyond the grasp of most. But there’s Nime, smiling, laughing, shrugging his shoulders in answer to “What does your name mean?” and telling you in the next breath he has no intention of looking into it. Johnny Brann, son of the founder John “Senior,” shakes his head, then locks gazes with Nime, and they both break out in profound laughter. When they finally catch their breath, Johnny says, “He makes everybody’s day brighter.” Which is not what you might expect from someone who in some regards waved goodbye to his parents when he was just a sophomore at Comstock Park High School, and was largely left to fend for himself. The Saabs were separating, and moving literally in different directions, but Nime didn’t want to leave the area. He already was spending time at the VanBennekom household, where he’d made friends with Panthers classmate Chris VanBennekom. The year was 1981, Nime’s sophomore year, and the same year Nime began working for what then was a Brann’s restaurant on Alpine Avenue NE, within walking distance of the home the VanBennekoms kept in the Westgate development, just a mile off. Thirty-two years later, he’s still living there, although Chris and his three siblings – and their father – have moved on. Now, it’s just the matriarch, Carol VanBennekom, who’s in her late 60s, and Nime, who’s 49. “It’s always been kind of a family joke,” says Carol. “Chris brought him home from school one day, and he just never left.” Turning serious, she emphasizes how much she now leans on him: “He mows the lawn, shovels the snow, helps with the groceries. He’s just a really nice, thoughtful person. I don’t know what I’d do without him.” Nime has a few known relatives, but they’re scattered across the U.S. No problem. He just counts his Brann’s workmates as kin, especially Johnny and wife Sandy. “Nime will, out of nowhere, bring Sandy a stuffed animal,” says Johnny. “She just thinks the world of him. We both do. We all do.” Nime is slow to make new friends, in part due to speech challenges, which include a mild stutter. “I-I-I had sp-speech therapy for 14 years.” Johnny is his best coach. “Just slow down, Nime. It’s OK. Take your time.” Nime draws a breath. Smiles. Then continues. “I was born New York City. I moved to Colombia (the country) when I was in first grade. I was there three years.” He moved back to the U.S. and eventually settled in Comstock Park, where he enrolled at the high school there and tried his hand at football. “What position?” I ask. “Mostly bench.” Johnny roars, then asks Nime to recount his short-lived boxing career. “Three fights,” says Nime. “Three losses.” He starts to giggle. “The third fight, I just went over and sat down in my corner. Three seconds. I’d had enough.” Johnny is falling out of his chair. Nime’s interests and pastimes are simplistic. He collects action figures, Star Wars memorabilia and comic books. “It’s like a Toys R Us,” he says of his bedroom. He drives a ’91 Ford station wagon, but rarely, and when he does, hardly ever on the highway. He doesn’t drink, use tobacco or swear. He’s never owned a mobile phone. And if he isn’t eating at Brann’s, he loves the meatloaf at Russ’. His loves are few, but profound: Mrs. VanBennekom, for one. And the Branns. “I love you and Sandy” he tells Johnny. “We love you, too, Nime.” |
Donald Trump has flip-flopped on policy positions and performed about-turns in his political views. But the former real-estate mogul has remained steadfast in one matter: his refusal to release his tax returns. Mr Trump based his presidential bid on his talents as a businessman, without revealing the details of his financial affairs. So the question of what is in Mr Trump's tax returns - and why he won't publish them - has simmered on. Last night Rachel Maddow on her MSNBC show published details from two pages of Mr Trump's 2005 tax return. So what can we learn from these documents? 1. Trump paid $38m (£31m) in tax on more than $150m (£123m) income The figures show that Mr Trump paid an effective tax rate of 25 per cent on earned income. Data from the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation shows that this rate is well above the roughly 10 per cent the average American tax payer pays each year. But below the 27.4 per cent that taxpayers earning more than one million dollars a year average were paying at the time. Mr Trump has previously boasted that he pays as little tax as possible. The White House said in a statement yesterday that he was "one of the most successful businessmen in the world, with a responsibility to his company, his family and his employees to pay no more tax than legally required". In addition to the federal income taxes in 2005, the statement said, he paid “tens of millions of dollars in other taxes, such as sales and excise taxes and employment taxes, and this illegally published return proves just that.” |
Australian Manus Island guards found naked with local woman sent home before drug investigation, PNG police say Updated A woman found naked in a room with three Australian Manus Island guards says she was drugged and raped, according to local MP Ronnie Knight. Mr Knight said he had spoken to the woman's family. Police in Papua New Guinea have called on Australia to respect the country's sovereignty after the three Australians were sent home before police could investigate allegations of drug use. PNG police said the men and the local woman were found naked, drunk and sniffing an unidentified substance in mid-July. "Three foreign officials with a lady were said to be having beers and sniffing some hard stuff when they got all excited, removed all their clothes and exposed their bodies," Manus Island provincial police commissioner Alex N'Drasal said. Commander N'Drasal said he had not heard any reports of rape or prostitution, but was awaiting further information from Australia's Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP). He said he had wanted to investigate the incident but the men were promptly sent home. "I was mad. I blasted the DIBP guys to bring back these guys and be charged in Manus," Commander N'Drasal said. Papua New Guinea's most senior policeman, Gari Baki, also expressed his anger. "It gives one very clear indications that we have literally not much say what goes on within the [detention] camp and I think we need to change that," he said. "We are a sovereign nation. We have a police force that is competent to do the investigations and it must be given that responsibility." Australia's Immigration Department unaware of incident A DIBP spokeswoman denied knowledge of the incident. "However, the department is aware of the death of a locally engaged subcontractor in the Manus community over the weekend and understands the PNG police are investigating the circumstances," she said. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young expressed concern over the alleged increase of violence on the island. "What on earth is going on inside Manus Island? Reports of rape, murder and machete attacks paints a picture of Manus in meltdown," she said. "The Australian Government must front up and tell the public what is going on. "The private contractors Wilson Security and Transfield Services also need to be clear about what they know. "Playing secret squirrel over allegations that are this serious is not acceptable from a Government that is spending billions of taxpayers dollars to keep this hellhole open." Topics: foreign-affairs, drug-offences, crime, law-crime-and-justice, courts-and-trials, papua-new-guinea, australia First posted |
Official Army photographer Ron Haeberle traveled with Charlie Company into My Lai on March 16, 1968. The Company was told that dozens of Viet Cong troops were passing through the area, retreating from battle after the Tet Offensive. Captain Ernest Medina had told his men that all Vietnamese remaining in My Lai after their arrival would be Viet Cong members or sympathizers. Following the massacre, during which between 347 and 504 civilians were killed, the story remained largely out of the public eye until the media published Haeberle's photographs in November 1969. These photographs would became key evidence in the Army's five-month investigation led by General William R. Peers. The following gallery showcases a selection of Ron Haeberle's images from the My Lai Massacre as they were used in the Peers investigation. Many of the images are violent and graphic in nature. |
Story highlights Virginia State Police say their officers nearby were unaware of the incident There have been no reports of injuries from the gunshot New York (CNN) A man who is suspected of firing a gun at counterprotesters during the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, earlier this month has been arrested, police said Saturday. Richard Wilson Preston, 52, was arrested following the release of a video, filmed by the ACLU of Virginia, that allegedly shows him in a verbal altercation on August 12 with counterprotestors near the Southwest corner of Emancipation Park. In the video, counterprotesters appear to throw objects at right-wing marchers. After several seconds, the man in the video, who is wearing a load-bearing vest, with a pistol on one leg and extra magazines on the other, turns away from the argument and walks away. Before reaching the edge of the frame, he turns back, drawing a pistol and shouting "Hey, n****r." With his pistol out and pointed at the crowd, he walks toward them before pausing, taking a step back, and racking the slide to load a bullet in his weapon's chamber. The man aims again, seemingly lower, and quickly fires a shot, before turning around, holstering his weapon, and rejoining the march. As the camera pans to follow the man, police officers in high-visibility vests -- including Virginia State Police troopers in their distinctive hats -- can be seen manning barricades some 50 feet away. They appear not to react to the shot. Read More |
The huge crowd, which stretched across most of the inner city, chanted, sang and held aloft banners and posters calling for an end to the violence in the Gaza Strip. Shortly after 1pm on Saturday, people were thronged for blocks around Parliament’s main gates in Plein Street as speakers addressed them from the back of a flat-bed truck. While an accurate number of participants was not readily available, a Mail & Guardian photographer in attendance estimated there were “well over 100 000, possible even close to 200 000 people”. The march is believed to have been one of the biggest, if not the biggest, the city has seen. The march was called by the National Coalition for Palestine (NC4P), which comprises more than 30 religious and civil society organisations, trade unions and political parties, including the Muslim Judicial Council, the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the ANC Youth League. In a statement earlier this week, the grouping said it was demanding “decisive action from the South African government against the Israeli attacks, killings, displacement and destruction of the Gaza Strip”. It was also calling for an international inquiry into the conduct of Israeli armed forces in the Palestinian territory. The huge crowd, which stretched halfway across the inner city, chanted, sang and held aloft banners and posters calling for an end to the violence in the Gaza Strip. (Photos: David Harrison, M&G) Well organised Earlier on Saturday, the marchers had followed a route from Keizergracht via Christiaan Barnard, Adderley and Plein streets to Parliament. Melomed 24 Ambulance Services operations manager Shadley Abrahams said there had been no serious casualties among the marchers, whom he described as well organised. “There were no serious incidents, thank goodness. We had some exhaustion cases, about eight of them, and four people tripped and hurt themselves, including one two-year-old boy who knocked his head.” Abrahams, whose company had volunteered its services for the event, said it was one of the biggest marches he had seen in Cape Town. “When the first marchers were half way up Adderley Street, the tail had still to leave Keizergracht,” he said. Bosman confirmed the march had gone smoothly. “There were no serious incidents. It was entirely peaceful,” he said. Ongoing conflict There was strong anti-Israel sentiment among the marchers, with many displaying posters stating “Shame on Israel”, “Israel is an apartheid state” and “Stop Israeli murder”. According to reports, more than 1 900 people have been killed since Israel launched Operation Protective Edge against Gaza a month ago. Israel has said its aim is to stop the firing of rockets by Hamas militants into its territory, and to destroy a vast network of tunnels used to launch attacks into Israel. The United Nations says over 1 350 of those killed were civilians, including hundreds of women and children. Israel has reported that more than 60 of its soldiers have been killed in the fighting. It also claims that about 900 militants have been killed. The end of a three-day ceasefire in the region was marked on Friday morning by the firing of more rockets from Gaza into Israel. In retaliation, Israel has resumed air strikes against targets in the Gaza Strip. There was strong anti-Israel sentiment among the marchers, with many displaying posters stating “Shame on Israel”, “Israel is an apartheid state” and “Stop Israeli murder”. (Photos: David Harrison, M&G) ‘Historical amnesia’ Ahead of the marchers arrival at Parliament on Saturday, hundreds had already gathered outside its gates. These included a group of women, all wearing the red, green, black and white colours of the Palestinian flag, standing behind a banner proclaiming “South African government must stop selling arms to Israel”. Another woman held up a sign stating “Zuma suffer of [sic] historical amnesia”. Police kept a close eye on the marchers. A police armoured vehicle was parked higher up Plein Street, blocking the road, and police officers, several in body armour, could be seen gathered around it. Along the route taken by the marchers, scores of people could be seen gazing down at the spectacle from roofs and balconies. Many of them were using their cellphones to record and photograph the event. Earlier this week, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe avoided a direct response to a question on what government’s exact position was on growing calls for a boycott of goods from Israel, and the withdrawal of both countries’ ambassadors. “We want peace in the Middle East. We are committed to facilitating the resolution of the conflict there. That is why [President Jacob Zuma] sent special envoys [to Palestine]. So that’s the position of the South African government,” he told journalists on Thursday during a media briefing in Pretoria. – Sapa |
Jurors in this state and throughout the United States are firmly told by judges they must follow the judge’s instructions “on the law,” but in so doing, are the judges themselves following the law? Jurors in this state and throughout the United States are firmly told by judges they must follow the judge’s instructions “on the law,” but in so doing, are the judges themselves following the law? by Jim Ostrowski Jurors in this state and throughout the United States are firmly told by judges they must follow the judge’s instructions “on the law,” but in so doing, are the judges themselves following the law? Keep in mind that jurors are constitutional officers! That’s right. You folks are there in both the state and federal constitutions. Yet, you are treated like school children in court and ordered to do this, that or the other thing by various court staff and judges themselves. Where do they get the authority to do that? The state constitution states at Article I, §2: “Trial by jury in all cases in which it has heretofore been guaranteed by constitutional provision shall remain inviolate forever . . .” Article I, §6, states: “No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime . . . unless on indictment of a grand jury . . . The power of grand juries to inquire into the wilful misconduct in office of public officers, and to find indictments or to direct the filing of informations in connection with such inquiries, shall never be suspended or impaired by law.” The federal Constitution states at Amendment Six: “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed . . . “ These constitutions have never been amended to change the meaning of the word “jury”, yet the meaning has changed nevertheless. That’s strange. Can we all agree that if the government can change the meaning of the word “jury” by non-constitutional means, the right to trial by jury has been infringed? Let’s say for the sake of argument that the government decided to change the meaning of the word “jury” to “twelve sheep who do what they are told by their boss, the judge.” Surely, we can’t allow judges to play word games with the Constitution. However, that is exactly what we have done. Let’s go back to why we have juries in the first place. The Founders had a cynical view of government as a constant threat to abuse its monopoly power. Juries were a counter-measure. Not being part of the government, they broke up the monopoly of power that leads to corruption. Yet, government agencies including courts are jealous of their power and judges have used their superior knowledge of the law and their professional status, i.e., full-time, paid positions, to defeat the original intent and nature of juries and turn them into the passive and docile creatures they too often are today. In two important court decisions, which I critiqued in detail in a law review-type article, judges usurped the ancient powers of juries to override the law when the law was either intrinsically evil or when the law was being applied in such a way as to work an injustice under the particular circumstances. See, Duffy v The People, 26 NY 588 (1863); Sparf v United States, 156 U.S. 51 (1895); “The Rise and Fall of Jury Nullification,” Journal of Libertarian Studies (2001). At the time the Constitution was ratified, the greatest lawyers among the Founders held that juries could override the law when they saw fit to do so. That list includes: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton. Adams wrote: “It is not only [the juror’s] right, but his duty . . . to find the verdict according to his own best understanding, judgment, and conscience, though in direct opposition to the direction of the court.” Hamilton wrote: “. . . in criminal cases, the law and fact being always blended, the jury, for reasons of a political and peculiar nature . . . is entrusted with the power of deciding both law and fact.” Both of the cases that trashed the Constitution and overruled the Founders are fallacious and neither discussed the Constitution. No shock there as the judges were deciding to take power away from juries and allot it to themselves. Judges are great at disguising a naked power grab in legalese. The result of these cases is that juries by and large no longer serve as a check on the power of judges, prosecutors and the police, all of whom therefore wield tremendous and often unchecked powers over the citizenry. Judges and prosecutors are largely immune from suit and, having generally been installed into office by the power elite, are rarely held accountable for their behavior by the public. We have seen recently that prosecutors can engage in endless and sweeping investigations of citizens. These investigations use seemingly limitless resources and personnel, last for years and often involve a review all of the suspect’s papers and digital records, contrary to the whole point of the Fourth Amendment—to ban general searches. Often, the original impetus for the investigation turns out to be bogus but is used as an excuse to review every tiny detail of a person’s life to see if he or she violated any of the thousands of pages of inscrutable laws and regulations the progressive state has foisted on us whether we know them or not. The Javerts of the world will parrot the idiotic cliché, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” Jean Valjean might reply, “Of course it is, you fool!” Again, unlike you and I, prosecutors can’t be sued. They are rarely held politically accountable. Their job security is Politburo-like. They are rarely if ever disciplined by the authorities for ethics violations. They are therefore free to engage in ruthless political witch hunts or retaliation against political foes with impunity. Is there any way to rein them in? Yes. Juries need to re-discover their rich legacy of defending liberty in America, dating back to Colonial times. They need to recognize that judges have usurped their lawful constitutional authority. They need to fight to get it back. It won’t be easy. The regime will fight back and hard. I advise against any acts of civil disobedience. I advise you to follow all lawful orders and not to get embroiled in legal problems. I recommend fighting back using lawful tactics only. Be creative. Use your imagination. Be inspired. What would happen, for example, if a juror asked a judge a question: “Your Honor. If we are constitutional officers, what gives you the right to tell us how to decide a case? Where does the Constitution give you that right? Were Jefferson and Hamilton wrong on this point?” To the best of my knowledge, asking questions is still legal in the United States. When it becomes illegal it just might be time to take strategy to another level entirely. Grand jurors may have even more wherewithal to challenge the authorities. They are given explicit power to investigate the willful misconduct of public officials. They may wish to start by investigating this instance of misconduct: how juries were stripped of their lawful constitutional authority by judicial fiat. Fasten your seatbelts! Jim Ostrowski is a trial and appellate lawyer in Buffalo, NY. He is CEO of Libertymovement.org and author of several books including Progressivism: A Primer on the Idea Destroying America. Share this: Twitter Facebook Like this: Like Loading... |
Contents show] Avatar: The Last Airbender credits Fong Character information: Fong The Legend of Korra credits Hiroshi Sato Character information: Hiroshi Sato Selected other credits Television work Filmography Other credits Biographical information Personal life (born Kim Daehyeon; Hangul: 김대현; Hanja: 金大賢) is a South Korean actor and voice actor. He voiced General Fong in one episode ofand Hiroshi Sato in seven episodes of Kim was born in Busan, South Korea, and moved to the United States with his family when he was two, growing up in the city of Easton in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. Kim is a graduate of Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Haverford College in Haverford Township, Pennsylvania. His theater major was completed at the neighboring Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He graduated from NYU's Graduate Acting Program in 1996. Career Daniel Dae Kim's film career began with roles in The Jackal, For Love of the Game, The Hulk, Spider-Man 2, The Cave, and Crash, which won an Academy Award for Best Picture in 2005. Kim is best known to audiences for his portrayal of Jin on the critically-acclaimed television series Lost. On television, Kim's credits include Hawaii Five-0, CSI, ER, 24, and the animated series Justice League Unlimited. In 2008, he starred in the Emmy Award-nominated miniseries The Andromeda Strain. Kim has also lent his voice talents to video games, including Saints Row, Saints Row 2, Scarface: The World Is Yours, Tenchu, and 24. Kim played the King of Siam in Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I from June 12–28, 2009, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. In February 2010, it was announced that Kim was cast as Chin Ho Kelly in the CBS reboot of Hawaii Five-0, which premiered on September 20, 2010. He was the first actor cast for the series. Awards |
If you told somebody 10 years ago that there existed some sort of secret group or “secret government” pulling the strings behind the scenes of government policy, international law, various global rules/regulations, and more, they would have called you a “conspiracy theorist.” Today things have changed, largely as a result of information leaked by Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, and various other whistleblowers and activists in recent years. All of this exists in what’s become known as the “black budget world” — a world so secretive that its operations, known as Special Access Programs, or Unacknowledged Special Access, remain hidden from Congress and are exempt from reporting to Congress. You can read more about the black budget in an article we published on the subject here. The National Security Agency (NSA) was founded in 1952, but its existence was hidden until the mid 1960s. Even more secretive is the National Reconnaissance Office, which was founded in 1960 but remained completely secret for 30 years. The United States was built on secrecy. According to John F. Kennedy: For we are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence–on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead of armies by day. It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations. Its preparations are concealed, not published. Its mistakes are buried, not headlined. Its dissenters are silenced, not praised. No expenditure is questioned, no rumor is printed, no secret is revealed. It conducts the Cold War, in short, with a war-time discipline no democracy would ever hope or wish to match. (source) Is this the world where the “Men In Black” (MIB) come from? Multiple presidents and politicians have alluded to the existence of a “secret government.” For example, the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, stated that “behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people.” The 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, stated that “some of the biggest men in the United States” are “afraid of something,” of a “power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.” Another great quote comes to mind here, from Edward Bernays’ book Propaganda 1928: The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. President Einsenhower, too, coined the term “military industrial complex,” and referred to the dangerous potential for the rise of misplaced power it had created. Today, within the mainstream, this subtle hand that influence the realms of politics, finance, and more is becoming known as the “Deep State.” To learn more about that, you can refer to these articles we’ve published on the topic: The Deep State Institutions That Control America – They Don’t Care Who You Vote For An In-Depth Look At The Deep State & Shadow Government Snowden Reveals First Ever Public Disclosure of Secret Black Budget Programs 10 Presidents & Politicians Who Told Us That A “Secret Government” Controls The World & What They Said The Men in Black Just as the “Deep State” has now become almost mainstream rhetoric, “men in dark suits” is another one that’s creeping into the picture, thanks to Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. A couple of months ago in a live interview, Putin said: “So a person is elected, he comes with his ideas. Then people with briefcases come to visit him, well dressed, in dark suits, kind of like mine. Except instead of a red tie it’s black or navy. And then they explain what to do, and the whole rhetoric changes, you see? This happens from one administration to the next.” Was Putin referring to representatives of the Deep State? It makes you wonder how many decisions over the years were actually made by presidents, and how many were dictated to them, their hands forced by other people. What is really going on within politics? Clearly, it’s not what we’ve been told. One thing is for sure, Hillary was the favourite of this global group of elites, which is why they are doing everything they can to have Donald Trump removed. He has caused a lot of problems by dismantling the TPP, speaking out against big pharma, making comments about 9/11, and calling out his own government for creating and funding ISIS, among other things. That being said, he has made it very easy for mainstream media to vilify him, but regardless of your feelings about him, he clearly isn’t cooperating with the Deep State the way Bush, Obama, and Clinton did. Presidents have long been tools for the hand that really controls American policy, one that continues to push forth its agenda for a New World Order. As for Medvedev, when asked about the UFO/ET issue after a television broadcast, possibly unaware that the camera was still rolling, he stated: I tell you the first and last time. Together with nuclear suitcase the president bring folder — Top Secret. And it is entirely devoted to the strangers who visited our planet. The report is provided by the special service which handles the control of aliens in our country. After management term — two folders and a nuclear small suitcase are transferred to the new president. How many of them are among us I cannot say because panic might begin. (source) Who Are They? Are There Any Pictures or Videos? The best person to refer to when discussing this topic is Nick Redfern, an author, lecturer, and journalist who published a book titled The Real Men In Black, which provides evidence and anecdotal accounts of these mysterious men, with a specific focus on their connection to the UFO phenomenon. Here’s a little excerpt from the introduction of his book: For years—or perhaps even for centuries, as I will later—the Men in Black have been elusive, predatory, fear-inducing figures, hovering with disturbing regularity upon the enigmatic fringes of the UFO subject, nurturing their own unique brand of terror and intimidation. Like true specters from the outer edge, the MIB appear from the murky darkness, and roam the country-side provoking carnage, chaos, paranoia, and fear in their wake, before returning to that same shrouded realm from which they originally oozed. Very often traveling in groups of three, the MIB are a trinity of evil that seemingly appears and vanishes at will. They are often seen (in the United States) driving 1950s-style black Cadillacs and (in the British Isles) 1960s-era black Jaguars, both of which are almost always described as looking curiously brand-new. The preferred mode of dress of these sinister characters is a black suit, black fedora- or Homburg-style hat, black sunglasses, black necktie, black socks, black shoes, and a crisp, shining, white shirt. Below is a picture taken from Redferns’ book of a strange figure seen by a woman named Mary Robertson in 1968, a woman who became increasingly afraid of this figure, which ‘stalked’ her for three days. The photo was taken by her friend, Timothy Green Beckley. According to Beckley: I had my own experience with a Man in Black, when me and Jim Moseley photographed a strange individual one day back in 1968. . . . Marry told me and Jim he seemed to be oddly dressed, and kind of like a zombie—just standing there, very rigid. She had never engaged him in dialog but he seemed to be surveying those going in and out of the building. You can refer to the book for that story, as it’s one of many. The most interesting thing, to me, is their connection to the UFO phenomenon. The book details UFO witnesses and contactees having these strange men show up out of nowhere after an experience. How did they know? What was going on there? There is also a distinction made between Department of Defense type of intelligence officers, and the MIB. The MIB don’t seem to be part of any known agency. There is something very paranormal about these guys. Other Strange Encounters A few years ago, the Aerial Phenomenon investigations team in MD investigated a case captured on hotel CCTV following a UFO report. It made its way around the web and caused quite the stir, and multiple media outlets picked up on it, including Buzzfeed. These are the types of strange encounters that seem to keep happening throughout history. Another story we’ve covered regarding the MIB comes from the U.S. government’s Stargate Program, which lasted more than two decades. The program studied various topics within parapsychology such as telepathy, psychokensis, remote viewing, and more. A man named Ingo Swann (seen in the picture below) was one of the main participants within the program who had ‘special abilities.’ Below is a picture of Ingo (right) with Paul Smith, PhD., another participant in the Stargate project, and now a retired US Army Major. One day, a strange man entered into the secured facility at Stanford — not an easy thing to do. He found Swann and persuaded him to leave with him. The man, named Mr. Axelrod, was accompanied by two twins, who were very tall and mysterious. They dressed in the typical ‘cloak and dagger’ intelligence agency outfit. Swann described them as “two blond haired, blue eyed, military looking assistants.” The four of them flew to what Swann believed to be the Alaskan wilderness, although he wasn’t certain and was told that it’s best he did not know. Richard Dolan, one of the world’s foremost authorities on the topic of UFOs, describes the incident well in his book UFOs & The National Security State, The Cover-Up Exposed 1973-1991, so I will quote it from here on in, starting on page 154: They came to a small lake, and Axelrod said that as dawn approached, Swann would be able to see “it” through the pines. “We now wait and hope we are lucky. Say nothing, do not make any noise…. they detect heat, noise, motion like mad.” Dawn arrived, and Swann saw a fog developing over the lake. This went on for five minutes, until the fog developed a luminous neon-blue color. Then, according to Swann, the color changed to an “angry purple.” Axelrod and one of the twins each placed a hand firmly on Swann’s shoulders while “a network of purple, red, and yellow lightning bolts shot in all crazy directions through the ‘cloud’.” Swann said he would have jumped if the two had not held him down. He saw an object, almost transparent at first, but then “solidly visible over the lake.” It was triangular or diamond-shaped, growing in size. Swann, in terror and amazement, heard a strong wind moving past, rustling the pine trees so much that some cones and branches fell on them. The object then began to shoot out “ruby red laser-like beams” as it continued to grow even more in size while maintaining its position on the lake. Very quietly, one of the twins said, “Shit! They’re enveloping the area. They’re going to spot us.” As Swann later recalled the event, some of the red laser beams from the object were “blasting” pine trees, and he could hear low frequency pulsations. Axelrod whispered to Swann that the beams were probably honing in on deer or other forest creatures, as they sense biological body heat. “They’re sure to hone in on us,” he told Swann. Just then, one of the twins literally lifted and dragged Swann away, but not before Swann noticed the water of the lake surging upward, “like a waterfall going upward, as if being sucked into the ‘machine.’ ” The four ran quickly and at great length, sustaining minor cuts and bruises. Eventually they stopped, breathing hard, and waited for more than thirty minutes, until one of the twins said all was clear. Axelrod then asked Swann whether he could “sense” anything from the craft. It’s clear why Swann was taken from his position and role at Stanford Research Institute and into this situation. It seems these ‘government’ agents believed Swann could provide some detail about what was happening here and help the government with their research and interest in UFOs. Swann burst out laughing. “You’re completely nuts, Axel! I have to be calm, cool, collected, and in good shape to sense anything.” But Swann offered the insight that the craft was “a drone of some kind, unmanned, controlled from somewhere else.” Axelrod asked him what it was doing there, to which Swann replied “Well, for chrissakes! It was thirsty! Taking on water, obviously. Someone, somewhere needs water … so I suppose they just come and get it. You don’t need to be a psychic to see that.” Essentially, said Swann, “they” treated Earth as the neighbourhood supermarket. Before taking Swann back, Axelrod said, “I shouldn’t tell you, but our mission will be disbanded shortly and the work picked up by others, because of strategic security reasons involved …” “Others,” said Swann, “who will not mix in with psychics, I take it.” “You got it,” Axelrod replied. Swann last saw Axelrod at the San Jose Airport, and never heard from him again. Picture source |
In an interview with the French website TVMag, David Duchovny revealed that a script for a third X-Files movie is being penned, and that it will return to the series' conspiracy roots. Duchovny's been talking up a third X-Files movie for a while now, and after the self-contained story of X-Files: I Want to Believe, it looks like the third film will get back to basics. And when I say "basics," I mean labyrinthine conspiracy cloak-and-dagger mumbo jumbo. Here's what Duchovny had to say (translation via X-Files News): It is being written. One awaits just the green light from Fox, a little disappointed from the relatively poor reception of the second film. The error comes, in my opinion, that the authors strayed too far from the roots of the series. Moreover, the film was released in the summer. The third will be much closer to what the public expects, with government conspiracies, etc. Advertisement So there you have it. Details are otherwise scant, and given that "the public" is a pretty nebulous term, I'm just going to assume the movie's about what I would like to see from an X-Files movie — that is, 90 minutes of Flukeman. [Via Comic Book Movie] |
"GIRLS WHO CHOOSE GOD: Stories of Courageous Women from the Bible," by McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding, illustrated by Kathleen Peterson, Deseret Book, $17.99 (ages 5 and up) (nf) The courageous women in the Old and New Testaments were faced with difficult decisions. Eve had to choose whether to continue a life of ease or take the more difficult path that led to the beginning of mankind. A poor widow was faced with the challenge of giving what little she had to God or keeping it for herself. These stories, and many more, are beautifully showcased in the new picture book, “Girls Who Choose God: Stories of Courageous Women from the Bible.” Authors McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding expressively retell classic Bible stories by focusing on the choices each woman made and how those brave decisions helped their families and mankind. Each story is continued through the gorgeously rich artwork of Kathleen Peterson. “Girls Who Choose God” is geared towards children but is appropriate for any age, and contains nothing offensive. Krishna, a graduate of Brigham Young University, currently resides in India. Spalding has lived in South Africa and India and now lives in Virginia. A world traveler, Peterson is a resident of Spring City, Sanpete County. |
Safer alternatives exist to diclofenac, say researchers at the Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, who want it banned worldwide. Diclofenac, like ibuprofen, is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug or ‘NSAID’. It is often prescribed after surgery and to combat arthritic pain, when ibuprofen is not strong enough. It can also be purchased over the counter at a pharmacy without a prescription, for example in the branded form of Voltarol Pain-eze tablets. But two years ago the Barts researchers found that it was linked with a 40 per cent increased risk of heart attack and stroke. That analysis crystallised the fears of many doctors, who have raised concerns about the drug for years. Another study, also published in 2011, indicated diclofenac raised the risk of dying from heart attack or stroke four-fold. Writing in the journal PLoS Medicine Dr Patricia McGettigan, who led the 2011 study, said drugs regulators needed to take action now. She said: “The regulators need to look at medicine like this on the basis that the evidence that it causes harm has been known for years but its sale and prescription patterns in England are only slowly drifting down. "If it is not going to change appropriately then the regulators need to act, particularly when there is a safer alternative available." About five million prescriptions are made for diclofenac every year, according to official data. Although many take it regularly, lots of people take it as a ‘one off’, meaning it is likely that well over a million take it every year. The risks are highest in those who take it regularly. Dr McGettigan, who has trained as both a pharmacist and doctor, noted the increased risk from diclofenac was not much less that from another drug, which was withdrawn in 2004. Vioxx, an arthritis drug, was found to raise the chance of heart attack and stroke by 45 per cent. Diclofenac still appears on the World Health Organisation's list of "essential medicines" in 74 countries, according to Dr McGettigan and her colleague David Henry, chief executive of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences at the University of Toronto, who contributed to the study. Professor Henry said: “Given the availability of safer alternatives, diclofenac should be de-listed from national essential medicines lists." Dr McGettigan added: “Diclofenac has no advantage in terms of gastrointestinal safety and it has a clear cardiovascular disadvantage," she said. "Because it's been around for so long people have become familiar with it and almost don't believe it could have a side effect like this. "There are strong arguments to revoke its marketing authorisations globally." A spokesman for the UK drugs regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said diclofenac was "an extremely important NSAID". He said: "For most patients the risks of side-effects are outweighed by the benefits these drugs bring in managing pain." He continued: "The MHRA has carefully reviewed the safety profile of diclofenac as new data becomes available. This has resulted in updates to information for healthcare professionals and patients, and numerous communications to ensure that any risk to patients is minimised. "Our advice remains that these medicines should be used for the shortest time necessary and at the lowest dose possible to control symptoms." A European review, instigated by the MHRA, was currently taking place, he added. Maureen Talbot, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, urged caution when prescribing NSAIDs but did not say diclofenac should be banned. She said: "The risks associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers, which include diclofenac, have been known for some years and they should always be prescribed with caution. "Anyone taking these painkillers should be made aware of both their risks, especially of cardiovascular disease and internal bleeding, and benefits in treating debilitating pain such as that caused by arthritis. "If you are taking these powerful drugs and are worried, discuss your concerns with your GP or pharmacist who will be able to help you decide whether the benefits outweigh the risks." |
7 years after 9-11, Dominik Suter of "Dancing Israelis" fame, leader of the Israelis who were caught videotaping and celebrating the downing of the WTC, registers a business in the city of Nanuet, NY, in April 2008. The business, "24/7 Anyday LLC", has an address in Nanuet's Rockland Center (click on image to enlarge). Suter and his significant other, Ornit Levinson Suter, were on the FBI'S list of 9-11 terrorist suspects. So where is the FBI when we need them? Allow me to preface this by stating that I am not in any way a professional investigator, nor do I work for any police organization, the FBI or other alphabet agency like the NSA. What is shown here is public information freely available to any idiot with a $20 a month subscription to a people search engine like USSearch.com. The only other tools needed are an internet connection and about 10-25 minutes of patience. In other words, a smart 8 year old could have found this stuff out. The first place I found Suter's new business was in a people search which yielded the address and the name of the corporation, as seen in the search results above. The next thing was to get the actual corporation documents, as seen at the top of the post. This costs $5 thru the NY Secretary of State's office. Get yours before some Mossad sayanim makes it dissapear. According to business records for the State of New York, Dominik Suter registered a business called 24/7 Anyday LLC on April 16, 2008 at 119 Rockland Center, Suite 176, in Nanuet, New York. This address is located at UPS Center maildrop. The pictures below are courtesy of the author of the following site http://www.cockeyed.com/citizen/spam/nanuet.html - it was found that six internet spam companies operate from this same address. The quit claim deed on the 2008 Florida transaction shows Ornit's address in River Vale, NJ (sometimes spelled Rivervale - this was mistakenly spelled Riverdale in the original post - apologies). River Vale is about a 30 minute drive from Nanuet, NY. The 3 bedroom home in River Vale was sold in mid-2006 for close to 600K. As of June of 2008, a web address, Movingrfp.com, was connected to the River Vale location. It is a non-operating site as of 12/09. "24 7" and the words "anyday" or "anytime" are commonly used for Israeli run front companies like locksmiths, carpet cleaners or moving companies. 24/7 Anyday in Nanuet has been listed in Superpages.com and Whitepages.com as a carpet cleaning firm, and in Whitepages.com and LocalSearch.com as a Locksmith. The website listed in one of the directories, http://247anyday.com does not work as of today and is parked at GoDaddy: Call both of the above phone numbers and you get a weird recording - though now that this has been published, they'll probably have some katsa answering the phone to make it look normal. On one call, I got a recording and a couple minutes later, a callback. The callback number had an area code in Spring, Texas, which is a suburb of Houston. Now I realize this is probably a cell phone and could be answered anywhere. However, Houston has been an area with Mossad activity, as shown in the search results below: Both Dominik and Ornit Suter have registered locksmith, carpet cleaning and moving companies through various states. These are typical front operations for Israeli illegals to find work. The infamous Urban Moving Systems was registered by Suter in New Jersey, and also operated under the name "Max Movers", according to New Jersey business registration documents. In this video, at about 40 seconds in , you can see the front door of Urban Moving Systems in Weehauken, NJ, as seen below in a video still: The sign on the door says 3-18th Street; Urban Moving Systems Inc.; Suburban Moving and Storage Inc.; Max Movers Inc.; and City Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Inc. Except for the 1st listing, which is the address, these are all front companies founded by Suter. Given the past history of this duo, are the companies they are setting up now just fronts? Are they in place so some twenty-something Israeli on leave from the military can scam Americans for locksmith and moving jobs? Or is something more ominous afoot? And by the way, FBI. Why aren't these two losers in Gitmo? Related: Fed gives grant to Urban Moving Systems |
Brief episodes of hiccups are a common part of life; however, prolonged attacks are a more serious phenomenon and have been associated with significant morbidity and even death. Signs and symptoms No medical training is required to recognize hiccups. However, persistent and intractable hiccups frequently are associated with an underlying pathologic process, and efforts must be made to identify causes and effects. The history should address the following: Surgical history Comprehensive drug history Indicators of psychogenic origin Arrhythmia-induced syncope Gastroesophageal reflux Weight loss Insomnia Emotional distress Alcoholism and acute alcohol ingestion A complete and focused physical examination may yield evidence of the following: Head – Foreign body or aberrant hair adjacent to tympanic membrane; glaucoma Mouth - Pharyngitis Neck – Inflammation; mass lesions; goiter; voice abnormalities; stiffness Chest – Tumors; pneumonia; asthma Cardiovascular system – Arrhythmias; myocardial infarction (MI); pericarditis; unequal pulses Abdomen – Gastric atony; organomegaly; subphrenic abscess; cholecystitis; appendicitis; abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA); pancreatitis; peritonitis Rectum – Mass lesions Nervous system – Focal lesions; disordered higher mental function; indications of multiple sclerosis See Presentation for more detail. Diagnosis Laboratory testing is directed toward suspected abnormalities as follows: Electrolytes - Hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, and hyperglycemia Renal function tests - Uremia Liver function tests - Hepatitis Amylase and lipase levels - Pancreatitis White blood cell (WBC) count Urine, sputum, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) - Infection Imaging modalities that may be helpful in the workup include the following: Chest radiography Fluoroscopy of diaphragmatic movement Computed tomography (CT) of the head, thorax, and abdomen Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Other studies that may be helpful include the following: Electrocardiography (ECG) Nerve conduction studies Endoscopy or bronchoscopy Esophageal acid perfusion test See Workup for more detail. Management A definitive cure for hiccups has not yet been established. Treatment, if needed, may be pharmacologic or nonpharmacologic. Pharmacologic therapies include the following: Chlorpromazine (drug of choice) Haloperidol [1] Metoclopramide Phenytoin Valproic acid Carbamazepine Gabapentin Ketamine Baclofen Lidocaine Other agents reported to be beneficial are as follows: Muscle relaxants (not benzodiazepines, see Etiology) Sedatives Analgesics (eg, orphenadrine, amitriptyline, chloral hydrate, and morphine) Stimulants (eg, ephedrine, methylphenidate, amphetamine, and nikethamide) Miscellaneous agents (eg, edrophonium, dexamethasone, amantadine, and nifedipine) Nonpharmacologic therapies include the following: Techniques affecting components of the hiccup reflex - Stimulation of the nasopharynx; C3-5 dermatome stimulation; direct pharyngeal stimulation; direct uvular stimulation; removal of gastric contents Techniques leading to vagal stimulation - Iced gastric lavage; Valsalva maneuver; carotid sinus massage; digital rectal massage; digital ocular globe pressure Techniques interfering with normal respiratory function - Breath holding; hyperventilation; gasping; breathing into a paper bag; pulling the knees up to the chest and leaning forward; continuous positive airway pressure; rebreathing 5% carbon dioxide Mental distraction Behavioral conditioning Hypnosis Acupuncture Phrenic nerve or diaphragmatic pacing Prayer Surgical intervention (typically a last resort) may include the following: Phrenic nerve ablation (unilateral or bilateral as appropriate) Microvascular decompression of the vagus nerve (according to case reports) See Treatment and Medication for more detail. |
It’s gotten slightly less coverage than the cases of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, or Tamir Rice, but the police shooting of John Crawford III back in August remains endlessly unnerving. As you may recall, Crawford was gunned down by cops in an Ohio Walmart while holding an unboxed air rifle he’d taken off the shelf of the megastore. As they are wont to do, police officials immediately claimed it a “justified” killing because he had allegedly been pointing the weapon at customers, and refused to put the weapon down when asked. Surveillance footage later revealed the opposite: He barely seemed aware of the officers before they shot him down within seconds. And, again, as they are apparently wont to do, the officers were let off the hook by a grand jury decision not to indict. And yet here we are, peeling back the onion to discover yet another stinky layer to this story: Immediately after killing Crawford, police brought his girlfriend, Tasha Thomas, to the station for an intense 94-minute interrogation with detective Rodney Curd, who not only withheld the information that her lover was dead, but attempted to get her to suggest Crawford had brought the gun into the store himself. Curd accuses Thomas of lying about Crawford’s alleged gun possession, which causes her to start sobbing (at times heaving and shaking) while repeatedly denying that her boyfriend owned a gun or carried one when she dropped him off at the store. At another point, the detective asks her if she’s on drugs; and at another, he insulted her: “Your eyes are kind of messed-up looking and you seem lethargic or tired, but I don’t know if it’s because you are upset or not.” As you can imagine, the 6-minute snippet obtained by The Guardian is difficult to watch, especially when you realize Thomas is being interrogated without any knowledge of her boyfriend’s death. And when they finally informed her that he was dead, they put the blame solely on Crawford: “As a result of his actions, he is gone.” Here’s the kicker, via Reason’s Robby Soave: As for Curd, he said he didn’t know at the time of the interrogation that the gun was fake and available at Walmart. He was operating under the assumption that Crawford must have smuggled it into the store. But even that explanation is suspect. According to Crawford’s attorneys, it would have been perfectly legal under the state’s open-carry laws for the man to carry a gun into Walmart. The state is never wrong. Watch below: — — >> Follow Andrew Kirell (@AndrewKirell) on Twitter Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com |
The Internet Can Turn Quickly — Even On Bernie Sanders Enlarge this image John Minchillo/AP John Minchillo/AP Bernie Sanders may have found a new place to take a break from the political arena after buying a vacation home last week. But some of his former supporters were questioning his socialist authenticity. Sanders recently purchased a lake-front home in North Hero, Vt., his home state. The $575,000, four-bedroom home includes 500 feet of Lake Champlain beachfront on the east side of the island, according to the Vermont newspaper Seven Days. The purchase makes this Sanders' third home, and after the news broke of his recent purchase, the Internet became a breeding ground for complaints. Others came to Sanders' defense. For some context: as Michael Briggs, Sanders's spokesman, told the Washington Post, the home is 1,800 square feet, less than the average square footage of an American home built in 2010-that was 2,392 square feet. (Though the size of American homes have been growing at a rapid rate.) The senator's wife, Jane Sanders, said they sold her family's lake home in Maine, which enabled them to purchase their new abode. "The entire family is very excited about it," Jane Sanders said. The Sanders's also own homes in Washington and Burlington, Vt. |
Stunning colorized images have given new life to WWII photos of brave female snipers who defended their homeland against the invading German battalions. This set also includes the most succesful female sniper in history known as ‘Lady Death’ or by her real name Lyudmila Pavlichenko. The photographs were colorized by Moscow artist Olga Shirnina. Olga Shirnina became popular thanks to her Flickr page, she invests massive amounts of time to colorize the versions of historical photographs. However for now she only posts photographs from the Russian history be it Empire of Soviet era. However she does enjoy periodical Hollywood celebrities colorizing from the previous century. More info: Flickr (h/t: vintag.es) “There are very few [color or colorized] images with Red Army soldiers, I decided to fill this gap,” She said. “Sometimes a picture can say more than many words and I’ll be glad if people learn more about Russia and its people through my colorings.” Roza Shanina was one of the 800,000 women who fought in Russia. Lyuba Makarova was one of the 800,000 women who served in Russia during WWII. Lyudmila Pavlichenko pictured smiling in her uniform. Roza Shanina, who was responsible for 59 kills in WWII. Ziba Ganiyeva was one of the Russian women fighting against Nazi Germany during WWII. Lyudmila Pavlichenko is the most successful female sniper in history. Sniper Yevgenia Makeeva killed 68 Nazi soldiers during WWII. Beautiful blonde Roza Shanina, who was responsible for 59-confirmed kills. Women of the Central Women’s School of Sniper Training, 1943. Roza Shanina was one of the 800,000 women who served in the Soviet Armed Forces during the war as a sniper. ‘Lady Death’ is pictured wearing full uniform beneath a framed picture of Soviet dictator, Joseph Stalin. Sniper volunteer Nadezhda Kolesnikova is pictured smiling alongside her weapon. Roza Shanina had a high success rate during her time working in WWII fighting against Nazi Germany. Lyudmila Pavlichenko Soviet sniper during World War II. Credited with 309 kills the most successful female sniper in history. |
Six members of India's last Test squad will be part of the teams that meet in the Duleep Trophy final from September 10 to 14 in Greater Noida. Apart from Cheteshwar Pujara, who is already part of the India Blue side, the selectors have included Shikhar Dhawan, Stuart Binny and Amit Mishra in the India Red squad and Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja in the India Blue squad. Both teams reached the final after victories - on the basis of first-innings lead, in India Blue's case - over India Green in the round-robin stage. The match between India Red and India Blue was drawn, with only 78.2 overs possible over four rain-hit days. The selection will serve two important purposes for the Test players - it will provide them match practice with the home series against New Zealand starting on September 22, and also allow them to provide the BCCI feedback after playing with the pink ball under floodlights. India Red: Abhinav Mukund, Shikhar Dhawan, Sudip Chatterjee, Gurkeerat Singh, Yuvraj Singh (capt), Ankush Bains (wk), Stuart Binny, Akshay Wakhare, Kuldeep Yadav, Amit Mishra, Nathu Singh, Anureet Singh, Ishwar Pandey, Nitish Rana, Pradeep Sangwan India Blue: Gautam Gambhir (capt), Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Siddhesh Lad, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Parvez Rasool, Suryakumar Yadav, Karn Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohit Sharma, Pankaj Singh, Abhimanyu Mithun, Sheldon Jackson, Hanuma Vihari |
Modular building blocks If you’ve ever wanted to modularise a large application to give it more structure, here’s your chance. Software consultant Moritz Schulze takes us through the steps for setting up a modular AngularJS application. In a previous article on JAXenter.com, I’ve shown how to build a secured REST API with Spring. It followed how we at techdev built our time tracking application trackr. In this article I will describe a way to build a modular AngularJS application which is suited as a frontend for a large application like this one in the last article. The main focus is the modularization of the JavaScript code in a way that helps structuring large applications. I chose to not use any JavaScript superset language like TypeScript or the modern ECMAScript 6. This will make the code more readable for people used to plain old JavaScript, but some boilerplate might be avoided with those tools. As in the last example, code for this article is provided on our company GitHub account. The commits represent the chapters. Modularization I will use two concepts of modules. The first one is about file dependencies and the correct order of loading the JavaScript files, the other one is about application dependencies. RequireJS RequireJS is a JavaScript library for Asynchronous Module Definitions (AMD). You can define modules with dependencies on other modules and RequireJS will load and provide them. It also allows for different versions of the same library to be used in the same project which can be quite useful! // src/loadModule.js define(['jQuery'], function($) { function loadSomething() { $.get('/load/something'); } return loadSomething; }); Here we define a module (without a special name) in the file loadModule.js that depends on the module jQuery and exports a function. Other modules now might load this one and use the function. If jQuery was already required and loaded by another module it won’t be loaded again – RequireJS keeps track of all loaded modules and provides them. You might wonder whether a special version of jQuery has to be used since jQuery is not a RequireJS module. Luckily not. There is a way to configure RequireJS so it knows the jQuery file will export a $ function and will wrap it into a module. You can also define dependencies between non-RequireJS modules. This config is also my preferred way to start a JavaScript application with RequireJS. With it, you only need one <script> tag in your index.html. // bootstrap.js require.config({ baseUrl: '/src', paths: { 'jQuery': 'lib/jQuery/jquery-2.11.js', 'bootstrap': 'lib/bootstrap/bootstrap.js' }, shim: { 'bootstrap': ['jQuery'], 'jQuery': { exports: ['$'] } } }); require(['app'], function(app) { // bootstrap the app app.init(); }); // app.js define(['jQuery'], function(jQuery) { function init() { $.get('init'); } return { init: init }; }) // index.html ...</pre> <script src="require.js" data-main="bootstrap.js"></script> RequireJS will load the bootstrap.js file, read the config and execute the last require call at the end of the file – which will load the application and in return all its dependencies and call app.init() after everything is loaded. Now we can define file dependencies and move on to AngularJS modules. AngularJS Modules Most developers using AngularJS have already written a module – because every app is one. Most likely they also have set up some dependencies to other modules like ngRoute. In this example we will make heavy use of modules for our application. AngularJS modules aren’t very powerful in terms of encapsulation but at least provide facilities to separate code and package reusable modules. It may seem they provide proper namespacing but that’s not the case. If you define a UserService in some module it is injectable in all other modules – and would overwrite or be overwritten by another UserService. I will show a way how I solved this namespacing problem. I like to structure my whole application according to the business functionality. That goes for files (JS and HTML) as well as modules. In my experience this really helps when navigating the code. I will provide you a basic structure for an AngularJS app with RequireJS. As an example, let’s create an address book app with two roles, users and admins. Every user can see a list of addresses and an admin can edit and delete individual entries. This already cries for a user and an admin module. // bootstrap.js require.config({ /* ... */ }); require(['angular', 'app'], function(angular) { angular.bootstrap(document, ['jax']); }); // src/app.js define(['angular', 'modules/user/userModule', 'modules/admin/adminModule'], function(angular) { var jax = angular.module('jax', ['jax.user', 'jax.admin']); return jax; }); // src/user/userModule.js define(['angular', './addressBookController', './addressBookService'], function(angular, addressBookController, addressBookService) { var user = angular.module('jax.user', []); user.controller('user.addressBookController', addressBookController); user.service('user.addressBookService', addressBookService); return user; }); // src/user/addressBookService.js define([], function() { return ['$http', function($http) { function loadAddressBook() { return $http.get(...); } return { loadAddressBook: loadAddressBook } }]; }); // src/user/addressBookController.js define([], function() { return ['$scope', 'user.addressBookService', function($scope, addressBookService) { addressBookService.loadAddressBook().then(function(addressBook) { $scope.addressBook = addressBook; }); }]; }); // src/admin/adminModule.js define(['angular'], function(angular) { var admin = angular.module('jax.admin', []); return admin; }); We don’t have any routes yet – since I will be using the ui-router later on I left them out. You can already see how I do my own namespacing – both the service and controller have a prefix in their name. Since the prefix is separated with dots I always have to use the array notation of angular injection. This together with RequireJS leads to a lot of boilerplate strings in your files. I see it this way – Java requires me to write imports. IDEs are doing this for a long time, so you never have to bother with it. Unfortunately there’s no IDE that can generate RequireJS imports so we still have to do it ourselves. But when your application grows to a certain size you will come to appreciate the namespacing of AngularJS services and controllers. If you do it right you can easily figure out which module a service is coming from. The ui-router AngularJS has a module to allow simulation of different pages, called ngRoute. With it you can configure your app to react to changes in the hash part of the current location by replacing a marked div with a template and instantiating a controller in it. So index.html#/addressbook could load a template called addressbook.html and our user.addressBookController. This system is not very flexible. Let’s say you have a navigation bar and want to replace some of it’s content when you’re visiting a specific URL. <nav><a href="#/admin">Admin</a> We want to insert a view here, too!</nav> <div ng-view id="content"/> But you already used your ng-view to display the content. Multiple views are not supported by ngRoute. This is where the ui-router comes into play. Rather than just telling AngularJS what template to load into one view and what controller to use you build deeply nested views and hierarchical so-called states that can fill each view in the tree with a template and instantiate a controller on it. A childstate can easily replace a view that a parent state has defined. So a URL does now correspond to one state that might have several parent states and several views. It might take a moment to get into the notation the ui-router uses, I encourage you to read the documentation on their GitHub wiki. The ui-router goes very well with my modularization approach. Each module can define its own states that can be child states of more general states that set up the base UI. Let’s add the ui-router to the addressbook example. // index.html <head> <script data-main="bootstrap.js" src="require.js"></script> </head> <body> <div ui-view="root"/> </body> // src/app.html <nav class="navbar navbar-default navbar-fixed-top"> <div class="container"> <div ui-view="navbar"></div> </div> </nav> <div class="container"> <div ui-view="content"></div> </div> // src/moduleSelection.html <h1>Modules</h1> <a ui-sref="jax.user" href>User</a><br/> <a ui-sref="jax.admin" href>Admin</a> // src/app.js define(['angular', 'angular-ui-router', 'modules/user/userModule', 'modules/admin/adminModule'], function(angular) { var jax = angular.module('jax', ['ui.router', 'jax.user', 'jax.admin']); jax.config(['$stateProvider', function($stateProvider) { $stateProvider .state('jax', { url: '', abstract: true, views: { root: { templateUrl: 'src/app.html' } } }) .state('jax.index', { url: '', views: { content: { templateUrl: 'src/moduleSelection.html' } } }); }]); return jax; }); // src/modules/user/userModule.js define(['angular', './addressBookController', './addressBookService', 'angular-ui-router'], function(angular, addressBookController, addressBookService) { var user = angular.module('jax.user', ['ui.router']); user.controller('user.addressBookController', addressBookController); user.service('user.addressBookService', addressBookService); user.config(['$stateProvider', function($stateProvider) { $stateProvider .state('jax.user', { url: '/user', views: { content: { templateUrl: 'src/modules/user/addressBook.html', controller: 'user.addressBookController' }, navbar: { templateUrl: 'src/modules/user/userNavbar.html' } } }); }]); return user; }); // src/modules/user/addressBook.html <h1>Addresses</h1> <table class="table table-bordered"> <thead> <tr> <td>Name</td> <td>First name</td> <td>City</td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr ng-repeat="address in addresses"> <td>{{address.name}}</td> <td>{{address.firstName}}</td> <td>{{address.city}}</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> // src/modules/user/userNavbar.html <ul class="nav navbar-nav"><li><a>Custom User navbar</a></li></ul> // src/modules/admin/adminModule.js define(['angular', 'angular-ui-router'], function(angular) { var admin = angular.module('jax.admin', ['ui.router']); admin.config(['$stateProvider', function($stateProvider) { $stateProvider .state('jax.admin', { url: '/admin', views: { content: { templateUrl: 'src/modules/admin/admin.html' } } }); }]); return admin; }); // src/modules/admin/admin.html <h1>Welcome to the admin module!</h1> As you can see, this allows a very detailed separation of concerns. It also allows very fine and granular control for each module what to display. For example, the admin module does not want to display additional navigation information and just leaves the template empty. The ui-router has many options for a state definition and is very flexible. JSHint I think it helps a larger project if there are guidelines for code style that everyone adheres to. JavaScript is a very generous language in terms of syntax which can lead to very inconsistent style. A linting tool can help detect such errors with a tool and with IDE support. I use JSHint which is understood by IntelliJ and can be executed with Grunt (see next section) to automatically fail a build if something’s wrong. Since it’s very easy to integrate, I highly recommend it. Here are some rules I enforce with JSHint: Four space indentation (tabs is also possible if you prefer that) Only camelcase identifiers No trailing whitespace Enforcement of curly braces around blocks No unused variables in functions Variables must be defined before used Single quotation marks Build Process with Grunt Grunt is a great tool for AngularJS applications. It offers functionality to run certain tasks on the source code, CSS files and HTML files. It’s great to package certain tasks together into goals that can be executed, like linting or testing. Building a Single File While having a lot of small files containing the AngularJS code (modules, controllers, …) is great during development, you certainly don’t want that in production. You could accumulate over 50 requests only to load all parts of your application really fast and the user will notice the increased loading time from that. Luckily there is a Grunt plugin to package RequireJS modules into single files and even minify the JavaScript along. You can even do this for single modules, so we could build app.js, jaxUser.js and jaxAdmin.js files from our previous example. Another great use of this build phase is to replace non-minified vendor libraries with minified ones. While developing it is very helpful to have a non-minified AngularJS included since it provides better error messages. But when deploying to production you most certainly want to use a minified version. I have two additional requirements: The vendor libraries are delivered in separate files/requests because they’re probably easier to cache I want to use the provided minified versions and not minify AngularJS every time I build the project myself Since listing the config for that here would be quite boring I refer you to my sample application. There are some tricks involved and the implementation of my requirements has some drawbacks. CHECK OUT: Building a secure REST API with Spring Data REST and Java 8 First, in the Grunt task for RequireJS you can set a path to empty, so it won’t be included in the final file. I do this for all libraries, they should be loaded separately. Second, I keep an extra index.html and bootstrap.js just for production use. This helps referencing the minified libraries. The large drawback is, if you add a new library to your project you have to configure three places: The Gruntfile.js and both bootstrap.js files. I guess a more elaborate setup can be found to make this process easier. I know this is probably confusing, so please take a look at the sample application to get a better understanding. Run grunt and look at the output – you get what I think is a nice deliverable. |
The exact link between tax cuts and job growth has for years been a matter of fiery debate, from college economics departments to the chambers of Congress. Now, a working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research could add some nuance to the dispute: Tax cuts do, in fact, boost employment and investment, just not when they’re directed at the rich. The study from Owen Zidar, a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, found that tax cuts aimed at the top 10 percent of earners produce little stimulative effect on the overall economy. On the other hand, those aimed at the bottom 90 percent have a greater impact. Zidar examined the short- to medium-term impact of tax changes at the state and federal levels going back to 1948. On the national level, he found a 1 percent gross domestic product (GDP) tax cut aimed at the bottom 90 percent translates to job growth of 2 to 5 percent, but the impact of a similar cut on the top 10 percent of earners has a negligible effect. He reached similar conclusions on the state level: Tax decreases for most of the population generated 5 percent employment growth, but yielded little change when applied to the top income bracket. Tax hikes produce similar effects, the paper says. When applied to the rich, they’re insignificant. But when applied to the rest of the population, they have a negative effect on economic activity. Zidar contends that his is the first paper to quantify the economic impact of tax cuts on different income levels -- something he acknowledges is “a very hard problem to tackle” because of a relative lack of data points. But he overcomes that challenge, in part, he says, by looking more closely at the regional impact of tax shocks. In other words, Connecticut, with its high proportion of top income earners, responds differently to tax cuts than Mississippi. Zidar says the paper carries policy implications, too. If lawmakers want to stimulate job growth, “this suggests payroll tax reform could be a pretty powerful tool,” he says. Scrapping those taxes up to a certain amount would be a far more effective means of creating jobs than say, slashing income taxes on the top 1 percent. The paper is also an academic rebuttal of sorts to former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s infamous slam of the 47 percent “who pay no income tax.” More tax breaks for the masses are actually a good thing, Zidar’s research suggests. Likewise, the paper suggests expanding programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit -- which applies largely to working class families -- would be healthy for the overall economy. |
SEATTLE — Libya, an oil-rich nation in North Africa with a vulnerable population of over 6.4 million, has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011 following the assassination of leader Muammar Gadaffi after a 42-year rule. The National Transitional Council has struggled to restore order and deal with rebels. The de facto U.N-backed government in Libya, the Government of National Accord, is currently tasked with ending the strife between the various fringe militia groups in the country. The country is lacking in access to primary healthcare, security, sanitation and water. Over 20 percent of the public healthcare system is affected by conflict. Additionally, Libya has been the epicenter of the European refugee crisis and is still struggling to find a sustainable solution to the large-scale crisis. Unfortunately, over 2750 people have lost their lives in the journey from Libya to Italian shores this year alone. An estimated 204,458 Libyans are listed as IDPs, or internally displaced people. An estimated 1.3 million individuals are currently in dire need of humanitarian aid in Libya. A majority of people face the added threat of human rights violations and the peril of modern slavery. According to the International Labor Organization, about 40 million individuals are currently trapped in the slavery practice. Libya has become a dangerous crossing point for refugees and migrants trying to flee to Europe in recent years, with many facing threats from human trafficking smugglers and organized crime rings. At present, Libya’s trafficking hub at Sabratha in Tripoli is becoming infamous for people smuggling. However, Italy and its other EU counterparts have been training and equipping the Libyan Coast Guard to combat the threat by routinely intercepting boats and conducting border checks. Detention centers in Libya are slowly closing down, as conditions are deplorable and individuals are made more vulnerable by the increased risk posed. Recently, despite major funding gaps, more than 40,000 individuals have been reaping the benefits of humanitarian aid in Libya. For example, UNICEF-led aid initiatives pertaining to sanitation are helping communities across Sabha and Tripoli. Rehabilitation centers are also being set up to cater to the needs of school children. On the health front, the WHO is shipping emergency health kits for non-communicable diseases to Libya in 2018. The government is also assisting with the provision of humanitarian aid in Libya by providing medical aid to the city of Derna. The aid is especially focused on supplying vaccinations for children. Recent air strikes are impoverishing the city further. African and European ministers are presently working in collaboration to improve living conditions for migrants in Libya and cracking down on people smuggling and human trafficking. Some of the solutions include opening up new avenues for refugees so that they are given the option of crossing into European countries by legal means. The European Commission also pledged €10 million in humanitarian assistance for people impacted by the instability in the country. The funding is a larger proportion of the resources allocated towards supporting various aid agendas like the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. Moreover, during a meeting on human trafficking, diplomats from the United Nations Security Council implored investigators to focus on slave auctions being conducted in Libya. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres alerted the committee of the dangers for refugees from Syria, Iraq and Somalia. A resolution was recently passed by the UNSC, calling upon countries to enforce anti-trafficking laws, launch investigations and play a greater role in cracking down on organized crime networks. To conclude, humanitarian aid in Libya is benefiting the country to a large extent. It can hopefully build the foundation for more social stability in the future, as it involves the integration of many key stakeholder groups and a combination of both long-term and short-term humanitarian aid in Libya. – Shivani Ekkanath Photo: Flickr |
A down-on-his-luck soap-opera actor took his own life this week after he was forced to put his beloved dog to sleep under pressure from his Upper West Side condo and became wracked by grief, pals said. Nick Santino euthanized his dog, Rocco, Tuesday — on Santino’s 47th birthday. That night, his guilt over the gut-wrenching decision became too much to bear. “Today I betrayed my best friend and put down my best friend,” a despondent Santino wrote in a suicide note, said close friend Stuart Sarnoff. “Rocco trusted me and I failed him. He didn’t deserve this.” The Brooklyn-born Santino — a struggling actor whose TV credits include “All My Children” and “Guiding Light” — adopted Rocco from a shelter several years ago. The man, raised in an orphanage and foster homes, soon began to write about his pet on Facebook, writing, “I did not rescue Rocco, Rocco rescued me.” But in 2010, his building at 1 Lincoln Plaza announced strict new dog regulations, including a ban on pit bulls. The ban didn’t apply to pit bulls already in the building, but friends and neighbors said Santino began to be harassed. “People were complaining about his dog,” said neighbor Kevan Cleary, 63, an adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School. “It was open season on him.” Rocco couldn’t ride in the main elevators and wasn’t allowed to be left in the apartment alone for more than nine hours. Santino was then threatened with a $250 fine for having a barking dog, neighbors said. “The dog was not a barker, but somebody complained that the dog would bark,” Cleary said. “He felt like he was in this battle because he was the only guy in the building with a pit-bull mix,” Cleary added. Another neighbor, Lia Pettigrew, who runs a pet-care company, said, “Everybody knows that he had been harassed by the building management.” The building’s management refused to comment yesterday. After months of increasing anguish, Santino had the healthy dog put to sleep Tuesday. Neighbors said a tearful Santino brought dog treats to the building’s doorman and said: “Give these to the other dogs. Rocco is no more.” Dog owner James Steven Grant said Santino left two rawhide bones on his doorstep and earlier was seen tearfully giving away Rocco’s fluffy bed. “Rocco was the sweetest dog in the world. Rocco wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Grant said. A veterinarian told Santino that Rocco was becoming aggressive — and Santino blamed it on his own depression. He spent Tuesday in agony over what he had done to Rocco. “He was distraught and remorseful about putting down his best friend,” Cleary said. The last phone call he made was to a former girlfriend at 2 a.m. Wednesday. Later that day, police found his body in his bedroom. He had overdosed on pills. Rocco has been cremated, and friends said Santino’s remains will be, too, and they will be reunited. “One way or another, their ashes will be together forever,” Sarnoff said. Additional reporting by Aaron Feis, Jamie Schram and Andy Soltis |
There are many foods that you can eat each day to burn calories and lose weight. The great news is that these fat-burning foods are super delicious and they boast amazing health benefits. Try adding several of these foods into your daily or weekly diet and don’t forget to exercise regularly. This way, you will burn mega calories and improve your health. Without further ado, here are ten foods to eat to burn more calories. 1. Watermelon Watermelon is brimming with B vitamins, which boost your energy levels and curb your need to munch on an extra snack. A cup of diced watermelon contains 46 calories and virtually no fat. Watermelon is a rich source of potassium, dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, magnesium, vitamin C, and iron. Watermelon is also high in lycopene, the antioxidant that lower your risk of macular degeneration, heart disease, and cancer. With 90 percent water, watermelon is filling you up but are not filling you out. Enjoy fresh watermelon juice, smoothie, or use it any summer fruit salad you like. |
Facebook And Mortality: Why Your Incessant Joy Gives Me The Blues Enlarge this image Mark Fiore/KQED Mark Fiore/KQED Clearly, researchers love Facebook, even if some of the rest of us are ambivalent. A 2012 survey of social science papers related to the social network turned up 412 separate studies, and there have been even more since. Among the most popular questions: What effect does Facebook have on emotional states? It does seem a reasonable question. After all, about 22 percent of the world's population uses Facebook regularly, according to the company, logging on for about 50 minutes a day. But is all this interconnectedness creating psychological benefits or global gloom? The answer, it turns out, is complicated. I experienced an emotional flip-flop myself around Thanksgiving of 2008, when I first joined up. For a week or so, I marveled at Facebook's ability to connect me to people who had long ago faded into the remotest recesses of memory. But by Christmas, I was in the midst of a full-fledged metaphysical breakdown. Those scrolls down memory lane were killing me. Better to have left that kid from third grade, who now likes to post videos of his weightlifting triumphs, as I last remembered him — a skinny punk hitting a double off the schoolyard fence. It was the collapse of that natural partition between past and present that I found upsetting, and a few months in, after noting the male-pattern baldness of yet another long-lost pal, I figured out why: Facebook punctured the intransigently juvenile aspect of my personality that had refused to recognize the passage of time. And that, of course, provided yet another piece of evidence for the harshest reality of life: We are all going to die. Nearly an hour a day OK, that was my Facebook freak-out — how about yours? Ask around. Lots of folks will volunteer one resentment or another. Maybe they don't like the time they spend on Facebook. Or they don't like the way people communicate on Facebook. Or they just don't like Facebook. As Laurence Scott wrote in his recent book on digital life, The Four-Dimensional Human, "Everyone knows someone perpetually on the brink of quitting" the site. Yet, whatever gripes people have, they aren't hurting business. The amount of time we spend on Facebook and Instagram beats out our dedication to all leisure activities save one, James B Stewart recently noted in the New York Times. (Still the king: watching TV.) Given the expanding role Facebook plays in a reported 1.65 billion lives or more, it's not surprising the site has been laden with a surfeit of social and political significance, credited with contributing to everything from a rise in adultery to the toppling of autocratic regimes. Facebook and mental health But what about contributing to depression? Ethan Kross, the director of the Emotion & Self Control Lab at the University of Michigan, who has co-authored several papers about Facebook, says the early research was "all over the place" as to whether using the site boosted or depressed a person's mental state. But it's the research finding a correlation between Facebook and feeling lousy that has drawn the attention of the media. A study making headlines in the spring looked at the relationship between social media use and depression. University of Pittsburgh researchers surveyed 1,787 U.S. adults, ages 19 through 32, and found three times the incidence of depression among the most active users of sites like Facebook, Twitter and Reddit than among those who used them the least. Still, that doesn't mean use of the site is causing depression, the University of Pittsburgh researchers acknowledge. "It may be that people who already are depressed are turning to social media to fill a void," their study concludes. A spokesperson for Facebook pointed me to a meta-analysis it collaborated on with two researchers, one who is a computational social psychologist now working on Facebook's data science team. That analysis points out that most studies about Facebook and psychological well-being have been done using cross-sectional surveys — which means they derive data from research participants at a particular point in time, rather than looking longitudinally to see how someone's mood or mental health diagnosis shifts after heavy use of a social media site. "You really can't draw any conclusions about what effects online communication in general or Facebook communication in particular has from cross-sectional data," said Carnegie Mellon University psychologist Robert Kraut, a co-author of the meta-analysis (he's consulted for Facebook but isn't on staff there). A happiness deficit? I asked Kraut about another study last year that caused a media stir; it came out of the Happiness Research Institute in Denmark (the happiest place on earth, apparently). The institute asked half of 1,095 people, most of whom were daily Facebook users, to abstain from using it for one week. "People who had taken a break from Facebook felt happier and were less sad and lonely," an online presentation of the study said. Those on a Facebook "fast" also "reported a significantly higher level of satisfaction" and significantly less stress than those sentenced to remain on the site. The study was limited — the behavioral change lasted only a week, and the work has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. But Kraut thought it a "reasonable" approach for starting to get at the way we use Facebook, and how that might influence mood. A small 2013 study also looked at whether Facebook use influences people's assessment of their own well-being over time. Researchers texted online surveys to 82 people every day for two weeks, asking them questions like "How do you feel right now?" Their answers were correlated with their use of Facebook. The more people used Facebook the worse they subsequently felt, the paper reported. The researchers said "multiple types of evidence" showed there was no confounding of cause and effect in the study. "Facebook use may constitute a unique form of social network interaction that predicts impoverished well-being," they wrote. The big green 'E' Some researchers have divided Facebook use into the categories of "active" and "passive." Active use includes those activities that facilitate direct communications, like commenting on posts or sending messages; passive use refers to the mere consumption of information — like scrolling through your news feed and glimpsing the lawn furniture your cousin just bought. A handful of studies from different labs have now established links between passive Facebook use and envy or other negative mental states, said Kross, who has co-authored one such paper. According to a 2013 research paper from Germany, for example, "upward social comparison and envy can be rampant" on Facebook and other social networks. The online environment promotes "narcissistic behavior," the researchers found, "with most users sharing only positive things about themselves." Among the 357 participants in the German studies, the researchers turned up a large number of what they called "envy-inducing incidents" — most frequently related to travel and leisure, social interactions and "happiness." Furthermore, the researchers said, some Facebook users seem to engage in an "envy-coping plan" that involves "even greater self-promotion and impression management." And that can trigger what they called a "self-promotion-envy spiral." A one-upmanship arms race. Another couple of studies that Kross and his team published in 2015 managed to isolate envy as the culprit in bumming people out, as opposed to other characteristics like the number of "friends" a user has or self-esteem. "Passive Facebook usage predicted envy, and envy predicted declines in affective well-being," the researchers concluded. They included in the discussion section of their paper an anecdote from Randi Zuckerberg, the sister of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. "I've had friends call me and say, 'Your life looks so amazing," Randi Zuckerberg told The New York Times in 2013. "And I tell them, 'I'm a marketer. I'm only posting the moments that are amazing.' " 'Do we have to see that?' A friend of mine, who doesn't want to give her name (would you?) has been telling me for years that she gets genuinely depressed on Facebook, and it has everything to do with envy. She finds the serial posters particularly annoying. "There's this woman I know and she is constantly posting, and she does some amazing things," my friend complained. "There's this jealous part of me, that's like, 'Do we have to see that?' Everyone seems like they're happy on Facebook." Yes. After plodding through these studies, I felt the need to reassess my own Great Facebook Freakout of 2008. It wasn't hard to see that, just beneath the Proustian navel-gazing on time gone by, there was also a strong component of rivalry: If some of those losers from third grade had not exactly set the world on fire, they'd at least managed to get a few sparks going, while I still seemed to be gathering twigs for kindling. Not that realizing that made me feel any better. But even if I'd done super-well in this status game, just the act of comparison might have been deflating. Contrary to some studies — and consistent with others (naturally) — research on Facebook and depression published in 2014 indicated "engaging in frequent social comparison of any kind may be deleterious to one's mental well-being." The 'happy' studies There are studies showing Facebook can enhance a sense of social connection. A 2007 study, for example, found that college students who were heavy Facebook users reported higher levels of "social capital," consisting of resources like emotional support and job opportunities that can arise from membership in a social network. A 2012 study found that posting status updates decreased loneliness, even when those updates elicited no response. And a 2010 study recorded moment-by-moment physiological responses when using Facebook. The equipment logged indicators of pleasant emotion when users actively sought out information or directly communicated with their Facebook friends, but fewer such positive feelings when passively browsing. Kraut and his team found the same sort of thing in a study published this week in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Receiving "likes" on something you post may offer a small boost in mood, but getting a positive comment on the post from someone important to you is likely to be much more satisfying, the researchers found. It's up to you Kraut, whose studies of the emotional effects of using the Internet go back to its early days, told me research generally shows that whether your Facebook experience will be good or bad depends on how you use it. "In particular, having longer, more substantive communication with people you feel closer to seems to be associated with increases in psychological well-being," he said. "You don't get the same effects if the communication is with people who are weaker ties. What seems to be crucial is that these are effortful, targeted communications." Kraut's advice: "Don't treat it as simple entertainment and consume everything that is put in front of you," he said. "Use it more proactively to communicate with people that you care about." That sounds about right. Personally, I've made my peace with the site. It's true I sometimes find myself scanning that unceasing river of flattering photos, adorable babies and pronouncements of good fortune with a hollow sense of diminishment. Facebook offers a plethora of choices as to how I want to spend my time, and I don't always make the right one. But in that, Facebook is a lot like life. This story was produced by KQED's Future of You blog. Jon Brooks is a longtime KQED reporter and editor, and the blog's host. |
Some games kick the bucket, others shuffle off their mortal coil and run down the curtain, while even more join the bleedin’ choir invisible. It’s like they’re cursed never to see the light of day. Hives of industrious development-types might busy themselves with painting pictures of exciting new worlds, only for a businessman (in his suit and tie) to turn up one day with a stack of P45s, a megaphone and an unrehearsed speech about a general lack of money. In a world where your average big-name game costs can hit $40 million in production, manufacturing and marketing costs it’s hardly surprising that occasionally the money to finance making them can dry up. Other demised games are, more simply, FUBARs of epic proportions. Development nightmares in which the bosses are clueless, the engine unwieldy and year after year of laboured coding slowly becomes a road to nowhere. Still more games just didn’t hit the right fun quota and were consigned to the development dustbin, others again were lost in seemingly dull publisher deals and takeovers. Meanwhile others were aborted because of questionable choices by their developer causing the public to get a bit cranky (to put it mildly). Last year, Rendition: Guantanamo was killed off afterknee-jerk whinersclaimed T-Enterprise, its developer, was supporting Osama Bin Laden’s lot, while Atomic’s Six Days in Fallujah – a planned shooter, set during one of the most controversial military actions of the second Gulf War – caused the developer to fade into nonexistence after Konami backed out of publishing it. In our life-times, these games are gone – or in perpetual hiatus. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. In some parallel universe where it all went right though – some lucky alternate version of you got to play them all. He’s playing the Planescape Trilogy, Carmageddon 8, Populous 9 and Duke Nukem Forever in between grinding his way through the Command & Conquer MMO Continuum – the utter alterno-universe bastard. We recently covered otherlost games(mostly console-focused). There will be some overlap, but here is the rundown on the biggest PC games that we’ve all missed out on, from the mouths of the creators – the ones who miss them the most... Dungeon Keeper 3 In development: Nov 1999 – March 2000 Developer: Bullfrog Publisher: EA Back in the second half of 1999, after EA purchased Bullfrog and Peter Molyneux left for Lionhead, everyone’s favourite gaming mega-corporation began to play around with two names beloved by PC gamers: Populous and Dungeon Keeper. Work on a game to follow Populous: The Beginning – Genesis: Hand of God – was rolling, but the shutters were pulled down when marketing types got the jitters about similarities to Black & White, which was also published by EA. Above: There are no screens for DK3, so look at these and imagine them different, with castles “The upshot was that Genesis got cancelled,” explains Ernest W. Adams, Genesis’ lead developer. “They looked around for something else to do with me, and decided on Dungeon Keeper 3.” Adams, alongside a producer and another designer, was tasked with dreaming up new adventures for Horny. However, because DK2 hadn’t sold the required bucketfulls, things would’ve changed in DK3. For a start, Dungeon Keeper 3 was proposed as a straightforward top-side RTS: the portals, chickens and individual and characterful monsters would have remained, yet would have been a part of a three-faction battle for supremacy. Meanwhile, rather than build dungeons downwards, you’d be building castles upwards. For the new faction a group of wild, untamed and vegetation-focussed chaps called The Elders would join the fray, alongside the goodly ordered Heroes and noxious taint of the nasty Dungeon Dwellers. “I realise that the move in the direction of a more conventional RTS would’ve been controversial. The die-hard Dungeon Keeper purists were bound to hate it,” said Adams. “But the truth is that there weren’t enough die-hard Dungeon Keeper purists. There weren’t enough people who bought Dungeon Keeper at all. But marketing had seen the huge success of RTS games like StarCraft, and they wanted us to move in that direction. Hence the new marching orders. “We definitely wouldn’t have turned DK3 into a clone of StarCraft,” he continues. “We wanted to keep the semi-autonomous creatures for example, and we definitely wanted a castle that you could construct in parts and move around in, not just buildings that pop into existence. “The major impetus for the move outdoors also came from the need for better multiplayer play. The fact is that while the single-player side of Dungeon Keeper was brilliant, its multiplayer was distinctly poor. You spent a long time without ever having enemy contact, building up your dungeon and armies. “When you finally did encounter them, the game was so symmetric (you always fought other Keepers, not heroes) that it became a long, grinding war of attrition. There was very little room for strategy, tactical feints, and so on.” The late ’90s were the glory days of the RTS, so it was hardly surprising that had Dungeon Keeper come around for a third self-flagellatory Mistress-slap it would have been in a different form. It probably would have irked us at the time, but better that than be trapped in this horrid world where Dungeon Keeper no longer exists. The end EA, concerned about a potential pre-PS2 dip in the games market, cut back on its riskier titles – of which DK3 was one. On top of this, the fact that Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter games were in the offing meant that the fantasy money train was in motion and Horny wouldn’t get a look-in. Bullfrog went on to have their name stuck on Theme Aquarium and Theme Park Inc, before being dissolved in 2004. A crime which has still gone unpunished. Status: Horny’s passed on |
CentOS-7 (1810) Release Notes Last updated: January 28, 2019 1. Translations Translations of these release notes are available for the following languages: 2. Introduction The CentOS Project does not provide any verification, certification, or software assurance with respect to security for CentOS Linux. The Security Profiles provided in the CentOS Linux installers are a conversion of the ones included in RHEL Source Code. If certified / verified software that has guaranteed assurance is what you are looking for, then you likely do not want to use CentOS Linux. See this link if you plan to use Security Profiles. Hello and welcome to the seventh CentOS-7 release. The CentOS Linux distribution is a stable, predictable, manageable and reproducible platform derived from the sources of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)1. You can read our official product announcement for this release here. CentOS conforms fully with Red Hat's redistribution policy and aims to have full functional compatibility with the upstream product. CentOS mainly changes packages to remove Red Hat's branding and artwork. We have decided not to follow Red Hat's usage of Installation Roles. In CentOS Linux all content from every distribution 'channel' is made available to the user at time of installation. The continuous release (CR) repository makes generally available packages that will appear in the next point release of CentOS, on a testing and hotfix basis until formally released. Please read through the other sections before trying an install or reporting an issue. 3. Install Media Various installation images are available for installing CentOS. Which image you need to download depends on your installation environment. All of these images can either be burned on a DVD or dd’ed to an USB memory stick. If you are unsure which image to use, pick the DVD image. It allows selecting which components you want to install and contains all packages that can be selected from the GUI installer. The 'Everything' image is more than twice the size of the ordinary DVD and is not required for most common installs - it is intended for use by sysadmins who want to run their own local mirror. Using the Everything image does not give you more options for package selection within the installer. Live media images are also available, both for Gnome and KDE desktop environments. These allow you to test out CentOS by booting from the DVD or USB stick. You can also install CentOS to your hard disk from the live media images, but please note that what gets installed on your hard disk is exactly the same as you see when using the live media. For more flexibility in selecting which packages you want to have installed, please use the DVD image. The netinstall image can be used for doing installs over network. After booting the computer with the netinstall image, the installer will ask from where it should fetch the packages to be installed. The everything image contains all the packages that are available for CentOS-7, including those that are not directly installable from the installer. If you want to install those other packages, you must mount the install media on your installed system after the installation, and copy or install the packages from there. For most users installing from the DVD image and then installing the other packages with ”yum install <packagename>” instead is probably easier. Attention At least 1280 MB RAM is required to install and use CentOS-7 (1810). When using the Live ISOs for install, 1280 MB RAM produces very slow results and even some install failures. At least 1536 MB RAM is recommended for LiveGNOME or LiveKDE installs. 4. Verifying Downloaded Installation Images Before copying the image to your preferred installation media you should check the sha256sum of the downloaded installation images. sha256sum x86_64: 3213b2c34cecbb3bb817030c7f025396b658634c0cf9c4435fc0b52ec9644667 CentOS-7-x86_64-LiveGNOME-1810.iso 38d5d51d9d100fd73df031ffd6bd8b1297ce24660dc8c13a3b8b4534a4bd291c CentOS-7-x86_64-Minimal-1810.iso 6d44331cc4f6c506c7bbe9feb8468fad6c51a88ca1393ca6b8b486ea04bec3c1 CentOS-7-x86_64-DVD-1810.iso 87623c8ab590ad0866c5f5d86a2d7ed631c61d69f38acc42ce2c8ddec65ecea2 CentOS-7-x86_64-LiveKDE-1810.iso 918975cdf947e858c9a0c77d6b90a9a56d9977f3a4496a56437f46f46200cf71 CentOS-7-x86_64-Everything-1810.iso 19d94274ef856c4dfcacb2e7cfe4be73e442a71dd65cc3fb6e46db826040b56e CentOS-7-x86_64-NetInstall-1810.iso 5. Major Changes Since release 1503 (abrt>= 2.1.11-19.el7.centos.0.1) CentOS-7 can report bugs directly to bugs.centos.org. You can find information about that feature at this page. Among others, the following packages have received rebaseing to more current upstream versions: samba, pki-core, gcc-libraries, elf-utils, GNOME shell, X11-server, ipset, firewalld, gnutls and libreswan. SSL-cpabilites have been added to Net::SMTP. Open-JDK-11 is now available. pNFS SCSI is no longer a Technology Preview. Thunderbolt-3 interfaces are now supported. As always - various driver updates. The following packages have been declared deprecated: Python 2, lvm2app, 3DES as part of Python, signtool, sendmail, dmraid, Btrfs filesystem, several rsyslog options, various drivers and others. More information can be found in the RHEL 7.6 Release Notes. If you plan to use Security Profiles in Anaconda, please see this link. ipset users should note that as part of the above mentioned rebase, the location of saved ipset data has changed from /etc/sysconfig/ipset to /etc/sysconfig/ipset.d/ and the new directory now contains one file per saved ipset. Users with configuration management that sets up /etc/sysconfig/ipset will need to modify their setup. 6. Deprecated Features This release - as already mentioned - features various changes to cryptographic abilities of various packages. Some insecure cryptographic algorithms and protocols are removed from the distro. For a complete list of all removed functions and deprecated packages please take a look at this page. In particular, the golang package is no longer included in CentOS due to an upstream decision. It is now recommended that you use Go Toolset instead. It is available from the SCL. See this how-to for the instructions. If you really want to use golang, you can try the slightly newer version from EPEL. If you don't have the EPEL repository installed yet, you can install the EPEL repository config files with yum install epel-release --enablerepo=extras. 7. Known Issues A list of known upstream issues can be found here. Given that we build from the same sources, many if not all of those issues will likely also apply to CentOS Linux. You can also find information on notable updates here. Some security profiles enable a global repo_gpgcheck option in /etc/yum.conf to cryptographically verify the repository metadata. While this works for CentOS repositories, some third party repositories (such as EPEL) do not support GPG signed metadata. If repo_gpgcheck is enabled yum will try to download the signed metadata file repomd.xml.asc. If the file does not exist, yum will output an error message and exit. You may need to either remove repo_gpgcheck from /etc/yum.conf or set repo_gpgcheck=0 for each individual repository that does not support GPG signed metadata. Users of Samba with "security = domain" or "security = ads" require a running 'winbindd' now. The smbd service no longer queries user and group information from Active Directory domain controllers and NT4 primary domain controllers directly. Installations with the security parameter set to ads or domain now require that the winbindd service is running. See https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/7.6_release_notes/new_features_authentication_and_interoperability If you are using Cinnamon desktop from EPEL, upgrading to CentOS 7.6.1810 will fail because it is no longer supported. See RHBZ 1647181. [Update: It is once again available, thanks to the new maintainer] If you use VirtualBox to run CentOS 7.6.1810 as a guest with a GUI, you need version 5.2.23 to build graphics drivers. See VBox ticket 18093. Also, the mouse may not work properly as reported in this VBox forum thread. The mouse issue reported in RHBZ 1658669 and CentOS bug 15570 X fails to start on certain systems with an Nvidia card See RHBZ 1650634. ghostscript update in CentOS 7.6.1810 removes flushpage which xdvi uses. xdvi now cannot render files with embedded postscript images. See RHBZ 1654045 for details and a workaround. [Update: the issue has been fixed in ghostscript-9.07-31.el7_6.3] If you are upgrading from CentOS-7.0.1406 and if you have NetworkManager.i686 installed, you will have to uninstall NetworkManager.i686 before the upgrade. (Thanks to the Scientific Linux team for finding this issue) For the ppc64le arch, if you currently have qemu-*-ev from the extras repository installed and you want to upgrade to the included qemu-*-ma which is now included in ppc64le, you must manually remove qemu-*-ev. If you would rather continue to use qemu-*-ev, you can get those RPMs from the Virt SIG here AWS users should beware of a problem before updating. A version of awscli was added in RHEL-7.5 which is an upgrade from the version currently available in EPEL. It has pre-reqs of python-s3transfer where the EPEL copy required python2-s3transfer. If you update awscli without removing python2-s3transfer and installing python-s3transfer then awscli will die with a stacktrace. You can yum swap python2-s3transfer python-s3transfer to exchange the two packages and awscli from the base repo should then work. Some digital cameras connected through USB do not work. This is due to a bug in libgphoto2. For more details see RHBZ#1551747. If you're upgrading CentOS 7 on an old Apple Intel based machine (tested on 2008 iMac), exclude shim* and mokutil* from your yum transaction or machine will refuse to boot. If you have already upgraded, boot on a usb stick, mount /boot/efi/EFI and copy grubx64.efi over shimx64.efi see CBR#15522 Redhat have removed /sbin/nologin from /etc/shells in a 7.6 update and this will stop vsftpd from working in the default configuration supplied. Either remove pam_shell.so from /etc/pam.d/vsftpd or add /sbin/nologin back into /etc/shells. Other packages that depend on /sbin/nologin may also be affected by this change. Users of (at least some) ATI cards may suffer from video corruption or freezes after the 7.6 update. It is reported that this can be fixed by adding a config file to change some options. You can find details of the added file in https://www.centos.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=69014&p=289882#p289784 If you have previously installed yum4/dnf from the CentOS Config Management SIG, you will need to remove it prior to updating to 7.6.1810 because the old yum4/dnf will cause package conflicts during update. yum remove centos-release-yum4 yum4 python2-hawkey libdnf dnf-conf python2-librepo should remove the offending packages, including dnf as one of the dependencies. A new dnf is installable from the extras repository. 8. Fixed Issues For all the fixed issues it is best to look at the errata release page here and look for fixes dated starting October 30th 2018. 9. Packages and Applications 9.1. Packages modified by CentOS abrt anaconda apache-commons-net basesystem cloud-init cockpit compat-glibc dhcp firefox fwupdate grub2 httpd initial-setup ipa kabi-yum-plugins kernel kde-settings libreport ntp openssl098e oscap-anaconda-addon PackageKit pcs plymouth redhat-lsb redhat-rpm-config scap-security-guide shim shim-signed sos subscription-manager system-config-date system-config-kdump thunderbird xulrunner yum 9.2. Packages removed from CentOS that are included upstream insights-client Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux-Release_Notes-7-* redhat-access-gui redhat-bookmarks redhat-indexhtml redhat-logos redhat-release-* subscription-manager-migration subscription-manager-migration-data 9.3. Packages added by CentOS that are not included upstream centos-bookmarks centos-indexhtml centos-logos centos-release 9.4. Packages released as 7.5.1804 updates with older packages on the 7.6.1810 install media firefox gcc-libraries java-1.8.0-openjdk spamassassin tomcat tzdata 10. Sources All CentOS-7 sources are hosted at git.centos.org. All code released into the distribution originated from git.centos.org. Source RPMs will also be published once the release is done, in the usual location at http://vault.centos.org/centos/7/ From a CentOS machine you can easily retrieve sources using the yumdownloader --source <packagename> command. 11. How to help and get help As a CentOS user there are various ways you can help out with the CentOS community. Take a look at our Contribute page for further information on how to get involved. 11.1. Special Interest Groups CentOS consists of different Special Interest Groups (SIGs) that bring together people with similar interests. The following SIGs already exist (among others): Artwork - create and improve artwork for CentOS releases and promotion Promotion - help promoting CentOS online or at events Virtualization - unite people around virtualization in CentOS And we encourage people to join any of these SIGs or start up a new SIG, e.g. ARM, PPC and i386 port - help with porting CentOS to other architectures Hardware compatibility - provide feedback about specific hardware RPM Packaging - contribute new useful RPM packages Translation - help translating the documentation, website and Wiki content 11.2. Mailing Lists and Forums Another way you can help others in the community is by actively helping and resolving problems that users come up against in the mailing lists and the forums. 11.3. Wiki and Website Even as an inexperienced CentOS user we can use your help. Because we like to know what problems you encountered, if you had problems finding specific information, how you would improve documentation so it becomes more accessible. This kind of feedback is as valuable to others as it would have been to you so your involvement is required to make CentOS better. So if you want to help out and improve our documentation and Wiki, register on the Wiki or subscribe to the centos-docs mailing list. 11.4. IRC Presence The CentOS project maintains a presence on the freenode IRC network as an additional venue for community support and interaction. Please see our IRC wiki article for more information. 12. Further Reading The following websites contain large amounts of information to help people with their CentOS systems: 13. Thanks We thank everyone involved for helping us produce this product and would like to specifically acknowledge the extra effort made by the QA Team. Without them working lots and lots of hours in evenings, nights, weekends and holidays, we couldn't have released this Release in the time we did. A special thanks also goes to the CentOS-community. A more complete list of the contributors to this release can be found at /usr/share/doc/centos-release/Contributors of your new CentOS-7 installation. Copyright (C) 2018 The CentOS Project |
Data from multiple orbiters give a clearer picture of how density and temperature interact and what that could mean for future satellite missions. If it weren’t for the exosphere—Earth’s outermost layer of atmosphere—we might all be at the mercy of the Sun’s blinding rays and other objects hurling toward us from outer space. In the exosphere, the air becomes very thin, almost vacuum-like, with very few particles, as many atoms and molecules from Earth’s atmosphere begin to escape into space. Another consequence of the near-vacuum conditions is that there is very little friction, which makes this region of the atmosphere ideal for satellites. However, regions of the exosphere can differ greatly in terms of temperature and density, which can affect the orbits of spacecraft placed in this region. Incoming radiation, particularly from the Sun, can also influence the density of gases in the exosphere. Therefore, understanding the variation in temperature and density of the exosphere can provide valuable information for scientists when they are considering where to place satellites. In this new study, Weimer et al. analyze density data from two satellites, Challenging Mini-satellite Payload (CHAMP) and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), measured by accelerometers found on board. The measured densities can then be converted to temperatures using the Naval Research Laboratory’s Mass Spectrometer, Incoherent Scatter Radar Extended Model. The researchers found that the densities in the exosphere—which, in turn, correlated to differences in temperature—varied on the basis of solar cycles and other geomagnetic fluctuations. The scientists then averaged out these temperatures in grids such that the cells would have equal areas using NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Hierarchal Equal Area Isolatitude Pixelization of a Sphere (HEALPix). Typically, grid cells constructed by latitude and longitude lines get smaller and smaller near the poles and do not have equivalent areas. HEALPix rectifies this issue, however, allowing researchers to more easily compare averages from different regions of the exosphere. With the methods used here, the authors propose a new way to create more accurate models of the exosphere. Those models could help researchers understand variations in exospheric temperatures or determine where to place certain spacecraft. (Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, doi:10.1002/2016JA022691, 2016) —Wudan Yan, Freelance Writer |
MANILA - Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel on Wednesday floated the idea of reopening a legislative inquiry into the death of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. after the Department of Justice downgraded the charges against policemen accused of killing the local official during a predawn raid at a provincial jail. "The best way for the Senate to be involved is to reopen the hearing and request for copies of the counter-affidavits or whatever other papers or documents that the respondents filed," Pimentel told reporters. PANOORIN: Senate President Pimentel, pinabubuksan ang imbestigasyon ng Senado sa pagpatay kay Albuera Mayor Espinosa | via @ZandroDZMM pic.twitter.com/1xBC1A0Cli — DZMM TeleRadyo (@DZMMTeleRadyo) June 21, 2017 Espinosa was once tagged as the protector of the narcotics ring of his son, Kerwin. The mayor and a fellow inmate were shot dead by policemen led by Supt. Marvin Marcos during a predawn search on their detention cells. Two Senate panels and the DOJ's National Bureau of Investigation said in separate reports that Espinosa's killing was "premeditated" by the police to cover up their involvement in the illegal drug activities of the mayor. Recently, however, the murder charges against the 19 policemen were downgraded to the bailable offense of homicide because of the absence of evident premeditation. They are now out on bail. Pimentel said a reopening of the Senate probe will task the DOJ to explain why it downgraded the charges. "Posible kasi iba ang sinabi sa hearing, iba ang sinabi sa counter affidavit," he noted. -- With a report from Zandro Ochona, ABS-CBN News |
Mobile operator T-Mobile has unveiled a new fair use policy, raising a few eyebrows by telling customers to leave high-bandwidth downloads for home. From the beginning of next month, the policy will limit customers to 500MB a month, down from 1GB or 3GB, depending on the contract. "If you want to download, stream and watch video clips, save that stuff for your home broadband," a document on the T-Mobile site said. A T-Mobile spokesperson has said the new policy will apply to all customers, including those who have already signed contracts with a higher cap. A message on the company's official Twitter account said: "We have to give you reasonable notice that our fair use policy is changing." T-Mobile is touting the change as a benefit for customers, saying they won't be charged for going over that 500MB limit. Instead, they'll simply be banned for the rest of the month from downloading large files or viewing video via their handsets. "Browsing means looking at websites and checking email, but not watching videos, downloading files or playing games," the company claimed. "We’ve got a fair use policy, but ours means that you'll always be able to browse the internet, it’s only when you go over the fair use amount that you won’t be able to download, stream and watch video clips." The move takes T-Mobile in the opposite direction to rival 3, which has removed any limit on mobile data, keeping with the trend of more and more people accessing services such as video, the web and app stores over their handsets. T-Mobile's new fair use policy, on the other hand, encourages users to save heavy-bandwidth services for when they get home. "So remember our Mobile Broadband and internet on your phone service is best used for browsing which means looking at your favorite websites like Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, BBC News and more, checking your email and looking for information, but not watching videos or downloading files," it said. Update: A T-Mobile spokesperson has since sent over a statement, saying the new fair usage policy was "in line with the industry". “These restrictions will affect both new and existing customers, and will ensure an improved quality of service for all of our mobile internet users," the spokesperson said. "As the average mobile internet customer uses only 200MB of data each month, this will only affect a small minority of users, whom we have begun notifying." “Customers who have a need for higher volumes of data will be encouraged to take up a separate mobile broadband plan," the spokesperson added. "We are confident that these changes will result in a better experience for all of our customers who use internet on their phone.” |
Recycled crafts are so fun and I love the cost (free)! You'll be decorating glass pickle jars with fabric scraps and embellishments – very easy. I've done a lot of Mod Podge projects, and decorating glass jars is one of my favorites! Recycled crafts are SO FUN. I really like to make crafty organization projects, I think because I lack organization in my own life. It’s hard for us crafters, right? Creative and organized don’t always mix! To celebrate back to school as well as the crazy crafter in all of us, I’ve whipped up these “stuff” jars. I did these with pickle jars, but you can apply the same concept to baby food jars or other small glass containers for the same results. I forgot to mention the best thing about this project – it was free! I recycled the jars, and had the rest in my stash. How did I do it? Decorating Glass Pickle Jars Gather These Supplies Pickle Jars – 3 large, recycled Mod Podge Gloss Fabric scraps – I had 3 fat quarters in my stash Ribbon – each jar needs about 20″ Felt Flowers Buttons Craft Glue Chipboard letters Scrapbook paper Flat paint brush Scissors or cutting mat and wheel Tape measure and pencil Wax paper or something to protect your table Start with these lovely supplies – soak the jars in water to get the labels off. This is why I love recycled crafts. I didn't have to pay anything for the jars! You will want to prepare the fabric. I cut some oversized pieces of fabric out of the fat quarters. Then wash and dry the fabric (do not use fabric softener) in your next load of laundry. Iron and then lay out on a covered work surface. Wax paper is preferable for covering your table. Using a brush, paint a light coat of Mod Podge Gloss onto your fabric. Allow to dry. This will allow you to cut the fabric like paper without frayed edges. Time to trim the fabric to fit the jars. I have a cutting wheel and mat, but if you don’t just measure and then do it with your scissors. Make sure you leave about 1/2″ extra so that the fabric can overlap in the back. Time to decoupage! You are going to apply the fabric, but first you need to lay down a Mod Podge base. Paint a few inches of Mod Podge at a time. You’ll need to smooth the fabric around the jar, smoothing and applying Mod Podge a few inches at a time. Make sure that you add a little more Mod Podge at the seam in the back. Smooth everything with your fingers and then allow to dry for about an hour. After the jars are dry, add the ribbon at the top and bottom. I used the craft glue to apply. It was really easy because pickle jars have a ridge (at least these did), and that is where the ribbon sat. Make sure to seam the ribbon in the same place that you did the fabric. You now know where the back of the jar is. Clean up any craft glue that comes out of under the ribbon with a cotton swab. Doing it with your finger will smear it everywhere (can you tell I tried that?). The last part is easy. Break out your stash and plan what you are going to do. I had some felt flowers and buttons, so I laid everything out and kept switching buttons until I was happy. Attach everything with craft glue or decoupage down. Let dry before using. Here’s what I used to embellish each jar: Blue Jar – blue grosgrain ribbon, eight felt flowers, eight blue buttons Seafoam Jar – seafoam velvet ribbon, small scrap of coordinating paper (Mod Podged behind the letters), chipboard letters spelling “Pens”, 24 coordinating buttons Orange Jar – orange grosgrain ribbon with a green edge, large felt flower piece attached with craft glue I’m so happy with my recycled jars. I want to make one of them for everything in my apartment. They are so fun! If you like decorating glass jars, check out these other ideas from some of my friends! |
Top European Court To Consider If EU Countries Can Censor The Global Internet from the it's-spreading... dept Last month we wrote about the tragic and hugely problematic ruling in Canada that said a Canadian court could order global censorship of content it deems to be illegal. As lots of people pointed out, that is going to have dangerous consequences for speech around the world. If you accept that Canada can censor the global internet, what's to stop China, Iran or Russia from claiming the same rights? And now we'll get to find out if the EU similarly believes in the ability of one country to demand global censorship online. In another case that we've been following, French data protection officials had been demanding Google censor content globally, and Google had been refusing. Now, the issue has been sent to the EU Court of Justice, the very same court who created this mess three years ago in saying that Google was subject to "right to be forgotten" claims. Google had reasonably interpreted the law to just apply in the EU (where the jurisdiction existed). But now the same court will decide if EU officials can censor globally. One hopes that the sheer absurdity of the situation may lead the CJEU to start to recognize just how problematic its ruling was back in 2014, but somehow, that's unlikely. We'll certainly be paying attention to this case... Filed Under: censorship, cjeu, eu, france, free speech, global censorship, jurisdiction, right to be forgotten, rtbf Companies: google |
This espresso bar to be located near Grand Central Station in New York was designed by New York studio Nemaworkshop to resemble a library turned on its side. Called D’espresso, the interior has been rotated 90 degrees so that one wall features herringbone-pattern wooden flooring while the opposite wall will have pendent lights protruding horizontally. A photograph of bookshelves printed on custom tiles will line the floor, end wall and ceiling. Images are by David Joseph. The information below is from Nemaworkshop: Located on Madison Avenue, the espresso bar conceptually and literally turns a normal room sideways, creating a striking identity for the emerging brand. The client approached nemaworkshop with an ambition to build a unique espresso brand and to develop a creative environment that connects to its location on Madison Avenue near Grand Central Station. Inspired by the nearby Bryant Park Library, nemaworkshop designed a store that is straightforward in a simple twisted way – Take a library and turn it SIDEWAYS. The book-lined shelves become the floor and ceilings and wood floor ends up on the walls meanwhile the pendants protrude sideways from the wall. To achieve the books shelves on the floor, the space is lined with sepia-toned full size photograph of books printed on custom tiles. The custom tiles run along the floor, up the 15’ foot wall and across the ceiling. The frosted glass wall behind the service counter illuminates the space and the wall directly opposite is clad in dark brown herringbone. The thrust of this concept finds expression in the lighting and materiality, and ultimately the space gives definition to the emerging brand. The concept itself is bold and receptive to future locations. See also: . |
As the 2016 election approaches its end, Republican control of the House isn’t in much doubt, but the final makeup of the chamber remains a mystery. The GOP holds a 247-to-188 seat majority, and our outlook at the Cook Political Report (where I’m House editor) is a Democratic gain of between five and 20 seats. That’s not enough to flip control, but the final seat count matters: It could affect the viability of the next president’s agenda and even Speaker Paul Ryan’s job security. The Cook Political Report rates 37 races as competitive, including 30 Republican-held seats and seven Democratic seats. Want to know how Ryan’s and Nancy Pelosi’s night is going? Use the matrix below to keep score of how the most competitive races are breaking and look for surprises. The categories I’m using below loosely correspond to Cook’s ratings. VERY BAD BAD GOOD VERY GOOD TIME (ET) IF THEY’RE LOSING … IF THEY’RE WINNING … 6 P.M. Indiana-9 7 P.M. Florida-13 Florida-7 Florida-26 Florida-18 N.H.-1 Virginia-10 8 P.M. Illinois-10 Maine-2 Kansas-3 New Jersey-5 Penn.-8 Michigan-1 Texas-23 Michigan-8 Penn.-16 9 P.M. Arizona-1 Minnesota-2 Colorado-6 Minnesota-3 New York-3 Minnesota-8 New York-19 New York-22 Nebraska-2 10 P.M. Nevada-4 Iowa-1 Iowa-3 Nevada-3 Utah-4 11 P.M. California-7 California-25 California-10 California-21 California-24 California-49 12 A.M. Alaska-1 How is the Democrats’ night so far? Democrats are having a very bad night if they’re losing … Florida’s 13th District — Rep. David Jolly (R) — In one of the weirdest races of the year, a Republican incumbent who has disavowed Trump is attacking his Democratic challenger, former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, for previously accepting Trump contributions. Under newly redrawn lines, this St. Petersburg seat should favor Crist. New Hampshire’s 1st District — Rep. Frank Guinta (R) — Guinta and Democrat Carol Shea-Porter are facing off for the fourth straight time, and Shea-Porter looks likely to even their series to two wins apiece. Guinta was fined by the Federal Election Commission last year for an improper campaign loan and barely survived his primary in September. Arizona’s 1st District — no incumbent running (Democratic-held) — This district, which covers much of northern Arizona, is a sprawling mix of Flagstaff liberals, rural conservatives, Native Americans, Latinos and Mormons. But Democrat Tom O’Halleran, a former Republican and police officer, is a favorite over Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu. New York’s 3rd District — no incumbent running (Democratic-held) — Former Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, is the favorite to replace retiring Rep. Steve Israel in this district on the North Shore of Long Island. But Trump has improved his standing on Long Island recently, and GOP state Sen. Jack Martins hopes to capitalize on Suozzi’s high negatives from his time leading county government. Nevada’s 4th District — Rep. Cresent Hardy (R) — Hardy won this northern Las Vegas seat in a 2014 fluke when Latino turnout collapsed. Now that Nevada Democrats are voting in larger numbers, Democratic state Sen. Ruben Kihuen is the clear favorite to unseat Hardy and become the state’s first Latino member of the House. California’s 7th District — Rep. Ami Bera (D) — Bera survived the 2014 GOP wave by less than 2,000 votes and is a top target again — especially after Bera’s father was sentenced to prison for orchestrating illegal campaign contributions. But Democrats have seized on sexual harassment allegations against the GOP nominee, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, neutralizing Bera’s baggage. California’s 24th District — no incumbent running (Democratic-held) — Republicans insist that businessman Justin Fareed has a great shot at this Central Coast open seat, especially after Santa Barbara Supervisor Salud Carbajal, a Democrat, called the city of Lompoc an “armpit.” But Trump, and the Democratic tilt of the area, may be too much for Fareed to overcome. Democrats are having a bad night if they’re losing … Florida’s 7th District — Rep. John Mica (R) — Mica has served the Orlando area in the House for 24 years, but this year, his campaign fell asleep at the wheel. Democrat Stephanie Murphy, whose family fled Vietnam when she was 6 months old, may be a slight favorite because of the district’s changing boundaries and demographics. Illinois’s 10th District — Rep. Bob Dold (R) — Dold sits in the most Democratic district of any Republican incumbent in the House and has compiled a moderate voting record. But with a boost from presidential-year turnout, Democrat Brad Schneider may be a slight favorite to win this rematch on Chicago’s wealthy North Shore. New Jersey’s 5th District — Rep. Scott Garrett (R) — After 14 years in the House, Garrett is suddenly in deep trouble after a behind-closed-doors refusal to support gay Republican candidates. Democrat Josh Gottheimer, a former speechwriter for Bill Clinton, may be the favorite in this wealthy, Bergen County-dominated seat. Texas’s 23rd District — Rep. Will Hurd (R) — Hurd stunned Democrat Pete Gallego in 2014, unseating him by about 2,000 votes in a heavily Hispanic border district, and Gallego is running again. Hurd, an African-American former CIA officer, has run a strong campaign, but a surge in Hispanic turnout in South Texas could overwhelm him. Minnesota’s 2nd District — no incumbent running (Republican-held) — Democrat Angie Craig, a health-care executive, is a slight favorite to take over a GOP seat in the southern Twin Cities suburbs after Republicans nominated talk radio host Jason Lewis, whom fans have called “America’s Mr. Right” and detractors have labeled Minnesota’s “mini-Trump.” Minnesota’s 8th District — Rep. Rick Nolan (D) — Both parties agree that Trump is running ahead in Minnesota’s blue-collar, populist Iron Range. But Nolan, a liberal who returned to Congress in 2012 after a 32-year hiatus, may still survive because Democrats have once again cast Republican Stewart Mills as an out-of-touch millionaire. Nebraska’s 2nd District — Rep. Brad Ashford (D) — In 2014, Ashford became the first Nebraska Democrat to win a House seat since 1992 by defeating unpopular Republican Lee Terry. Now he’s in a tight race against retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Don “Bits” Bacon. The Trump and Clinton campaigns are contesting this Omaha district for its lone electoral vote. Iowa’s 1st District — Rep. Rod Blum (R) — Blum rode a GOP wave in Iowa to victory two years ago but now must prove that he can win re-election in a presidential year, when turnout will be higher. Monica Vernon, who was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014, began the general election as the favorite, but her lead has eroded as Trump has gained ground in the state. Nevada’s 3rd District — no incumbent running (Republican-held) — Democrats are hoping to beat GOP Rep. Joe Heck in the state’s U.S. Senate race and pick up his House seat at the same time. With a strong Democratic early vote, Democratic software developer Jacky Rosen may be the slight favorite over perennial GOP candidate Danny Tarkanian in the southern Las Vegas suburbs. California’s 25th District — Rep. Steve Knight (R) — Knight, a freshman, is the only remaining Republican representing a House district anchored by Los Angeles County, and he’s in trouble. Knight is contrasting his family’s deep roots in the district with Democratic attorney Bryan Caforio’s carpetbagging, but Caforio stands to benefit from huge Latino growth in the Antelope Valley. California’s 49th District — Rep. Darrell Issa (R) — Issa, the lead inquisitor of the Obama administration in the House, is in a treacherous position: He is a Trump defender in a highly educated coastal seat that doesn’t like Trump and declined to use his personal fortune to attack retired Marine Doug Applegate, a Democrat. Now it may be too late. Democrats are having a good night if they’re winning … Florida’s 26th District — Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R) — Trump will probably get crushed in this heavily Cuban, suburban Miami district, and a redrawn map helps Democrats slightly. But private polls show Curbelo, who doesn’t support Trump, hanging tough against the Democrat he unseated in 2014, Joe Garcia. Virginia’s 10th District — Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) — Trump is hugely unpopular in this wealthy, highly educated Northern Virginia seat and could drag Comstock down. Democratic real estate executive LuAnn Bennett has benefited from a barrage of ads from friendly outside groups. Maine’s 2nd District — Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R) — Poliquin surprised analysts in 2014, becoming the first Maine Republican to win a House seat in 20 years. But he faces an extremely competitive rematch against Democrat Emily Cain. In a twist, both presidential campaigns are targeting this northern Maine seat for its lone electoral vote. Pennsylvania’s 8th District — no incumbent running (Republican-held) — Former FBI agent Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican, hopes to succeed his popular retiring brother, Mike Fitzpatrick, in this Bucks County House seat. Fitzpatrick will have a big advantage if a lot of voters don’t notice the difference. Democratic state legislator Steve Santarsiero only has a chance if Hillary Clinton wins huge margins in the Philadelphia suburbs. Colorado’s 6th District — Rep. Mike Coffman (R) — The Denver suburbs haven’t been kind to Trump in recent polls, and Democrats hope that state Sen. Morgan Carroll will finally defeat Coffman. But Coffman has disavowed Trump, played up his newly acquired Spanish-speaking skills, and portrayed Carroll as a reflexive liberal. He could defy the top of the ticket. New York’s 19th District — no incumbent running (Republican-held) — Law professor Zephyr Teachout, a progressive who ran unsuccessfully against Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the 2014 Democratic gubernatorial primary, is an even bet to win this open seat in a district that covers parts of the Hudson Valley and upstate. Republican state legislator John Faso, who also lost a governor’s race, in 2006, is calling Teachout a carpetbagger, while Democrats are attacking him as an Albany insider. California’s 10th District — Rep. Jeff Denham (R) — Denham beat Democratic bee farmer Michael Eggman 56 percent to 44 percent in 2014 in this Central Valley district, but the race — which is a rematch — looks much closer this time. Democrats have portrayed Denham as a multimillionaire who helped Trump broker a deal to open his new Washington, D.C., hotel. Denham may have a slight edge, but it’s close. Democrats are having a very good night if they’re winning … Indiana’s 9th District — no incumbent running (Republican-held) — GOP venture capitalist Trey Hollingsworth is the favorite thanks to the strong GOP lean of this southern Indiana district. But he moved to the state from Tennessee last fall, and Democrat Shelli Yoder, a Monroe County Council member with deep roots in the state (she’s a former Miss Indiana), has portrayed him as an out-of-touch carpetbagger. Florida’s 18th District — no incumbent running (Democratic-held) — Republican Brian Mast, a veteran who lost both legs in Afghanistan, has emerged as the narrow favorite in this Treasure Coast district over wealthy Democrat Randy Perkins, the CEO of a disaster recovery company. Kansas’s 3rd District — Rep. Kevin Yoder (R) — This highly educated suburban Kansas City seat is normally very Republican-leaning, but Yoder is only a narrow favorite over Democratic investment firm owner Jay Sidie this year. Trump’s unpopularity hurts, but reviled GOP Gov. Sam Brownback is the real plague on Republicans here. Michigan’s 1st District — no incumbent running (Repblican-held) — This open seat encompassing Michigan’s rural Upper Peninsula could go big for Trump. But conservative Democrat Lon Johnson, whose wife was a top Obama campaign fundraiser, has outspent the Republican, retired Marine Corps general Jack Bergman, and has a chance to buck the top of the ticket. Michigan’s 8th District — Rep. Mike Bishop (R) — Bishop, a freshman, sits in a competitive seat that takes in both the city of Lansing and highly educated Detroit exurbs. He won easily in 2014, but this time, Democrats are making a last-minute push for their candidate, prosecutor Suzanna Shkreli. Pennsylvania’s 16th District — no incumbent running (Republican-held) — Republican Lloyd Smucker, a state senator, once looked like a lock in this Lancaster-area seat, but Democratic nonprofit consultant Christina Hartman has given him a tougher-than-expected challenge. Trump may drive up Democratic turnout in the heavily Latino city of Reading, a concern for Smucker. Minnesota’s 3rd District — Rep. Erik Paulsen (R) — Trump is badly underwater in this wealthy, suburban Minneapolis district, but Paulsen has built a reputation as a mild-mannered moderate. Democratic state Sen. Terri Bonoff has attacked Paulsen for waiting a long time before disavowing Trump but is still behind in private polls. New York’s 22nd District — no incumbent running (Republican-held) — Republican state legislator Claudia Tenney is the favorite in a wacky three-way race against Democrat Kim Myers and millionaire Martin Babinec of the Upstate Jobs Party. Tenney supports Trump, while retiring GOP Rep. Richard Hanna broke ranks to endorse Clinton. But Trump is polling well in this working-class Upstate seat, which includes Binghamton and Utica. Iowa’s 3rd District — Rep. David Young (R) — Young, a freshman, faces Iraq veteran Jim Mowrer, a Democrat, in a competitive seat that includes Des Moines and Council Bluffs. President Obama narrowly won the district in both 2008 and 2012, and Mowrer should carry Des Moines. But Trump is performing relatively well in rural Iowa, which probably lifts Young. Utah’s 4th District — Rep. Mia Love (R) — Love won this suburban Salt Lake City seat by a much narrower-than-expected margin in 2014, defeating Democratic attorney Doug Owens 51 percent to 46 percent. Owens is running again and hopes to benefit from Utah’s hostility to Trump. California’s 21st District — Rep. David Valadao (R) — This Central Valley seat is in the most Latino and least college-educated district held by a Republican in the House. It voted for President Obama twice, but Valadao’s profile as a dairy farmer makes him a good cultural fit. Democrat Emilio Huerta, son of labor icon Dolores Huerta, could win if there’s a huge anti-Trump wave. Alaska’s (at-large) district — Rep. Don Young (R) — Young, who was first elected in 1973, is the longest-serving Republican in Congress. But Alaska is weirdly close in the presidential race (by Alaska standards), and Democrat Steve Lindbeck, the former CEO of Alaska Public Media, has attacked Young’s colorful remarks and ties to oil companies. A Young upset would qualify as a late-night shocker. |
Please Note: The Back to School promotion has ended All good things must come to an end and for many of you, it’s back to school month—time to shed that luxurious summer break sleep schedule and get serious about hitting the books. Don't let your new round of responsibilities get you down, though, because we've got news that will have you stutter-stepping through this week's lessons. Buy StarCraft II without Spending Your Lunch Money In honor of back to school month, we're offering a 50% discount on copies of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, and 25% off the Heart of the Swarm expansion. That's not all. From September 23-30, new and existing players alike will be able to enjoy a host of new rewards and bonuses. Take out a pen and start taking notes, because we've got something for StarCraft II students of all disciplines. Show Off Your School Spirit So you're boasting the same school wardrobe as last year. Don't fret, you can still dress up your StarCraft II profile with a stylish new Feat of Strength achievement and three back to school-themed character portraits this semester. The Cheerleader Kerrigan, Geek Raynor, and Professor Zeratul portraits pictured below can be unlocked by earning the “You Got Schooled” Feat of Strength achievement. In order to do this, you'll first need to conquer a brief test of your StarCraft II proficiencies. From now through September 30, win five StarCraft II games in any combination of Arcade, Custom, Ranked, Training, Unranked, or Versus A.I. online game modes to earn the You Got Schooled achievement. As soon as you've received the achievement, all three portraits will be permanently unlocked in your character profile. It’s important to note that Campaign, Offline Custom Games, Replays, and observing your friends' games don't count toward reward progress. So make sure to play in one of the previously listed online game modes. Hit the Books and Still Level Up We’ve doubled the amount of XP you'll gain when you play StarCraft II from now through September 30. Perhaps you'd like to reach max level in Heart of the Swarm, or level up the race you play the least often. Now is no time to procrastinate! Finish up that science paper, then log in to Battle.net and play a few matchmaking or custom games to start enjoying this wealth of experience points. We’re tossing you some bonus experience to make up for the time you should be spending on important stuff, like studying, eating, sleeping, and visiting the official StarCraft II community site. Three Majors for New Players We’ve unlocked all three races for StarCraft II: Starter Edition players through the end of the month, which means it's the perfect time to introduce your new classmates to the schools of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg. Starter Edition is always free to download and play, so once that group project meeting wraps up, you and your fellow scholars can team up for some Ladder and Arcade games. Better still, if you already own a copy of StarCraft II, be sure to share the full experience with your Starter Edition friends using our recently implemented Spawning feature. Boost Your Brain Power This recent study indicates that playing StarCraft II isn't just fun—it can also be educational. The research suggests that playing StarCraft II can help sharpen your cognitive flexibility, which is all the more reason to pencil a few ladder games in to your extracurricular schedule. If you're scurrying off to class, the below video summary of the study's results will give you all of the details while you're on the go. Master the Study of StarCraft II The StarCraft II community can be a brilliant resource to turn to if you're looking for some inspired course material to help you earn those new portrait rewards. Below, we've gathered a collection of lessons from the StarCraft II community that you might like to include in your research. Get a foundational StarCraft II education from Shaun "Apollo" Clark as he helps guide you from Bronze to Master League with this 1v1 tutorial series. Once you've taken notes on the essentials, dig in to some of Apollo's more personalized lessons by watching a few episodes of Improve with Apollo. If a daily dose of the latest strategies and tactics is what you're after, Sean "Day[9]" Plott and his pro replay analysis show, the Day[9] Daily, might be more your speed. You can also tune in to www.day9.tv Monday through Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. PDT to catch Day[9]'s live broadcasts. From there, head over to the TeamLiquid.net Strategy Forum to dive in to a veritable library of multiplayer guides, advice, and discussions. Then, round out your skillset with professional StarCraft II team Evil Geniuses and their Pro Tip Collection. If you'd rather hone your creative side, the Galaxy Editor Tutorial Archive at SC2Mapster.com will sharpen your skills with StarCraft II Arcade and Custom Game development. Now that you've (surely) taken notes on all the goodies that await you during StarCraft II's Back to School Week, we hope that once you've finished your studies each evening, you'll login to Battle.net for some fun with your friends. Please enjoy your new rewards, and we sincerely wish you the best of luck this new school year. |
He will say that the Turnbull government's plan to reduce the 30 per cent company tax rate to 25 per cent for all companies over 10 years is inadequate and that the rate needs to be reduced "much more quickly than is presently under consideration by our Parliament". "Business shapes the economy and right now, business investment is soft," he will say. "Why? Half of business leaders say a lack of a clear plan for Australia's economic future is holding them back from making investment decisions." A year ago, the Turnbull government junked plans to increase the rate and base of the GST on the basis that the level of compensation required for low and middle-income earners did not make it worthwhile. It produced Treasury modelling which showed an increase in the GST rate from 10 per cent to 15 per cent and a broadening of the GST base to include water and sewerage would raise an extra $35 billion. But the modelling suggested the compensation bill, in the form of welfare top-ups and other forms of assistance to low-income earners, would cost as much as $12 billion and that was before the government negotiated with a populist and obstructionist Senate. Dr Henry's message will not only be aimed at politicians. He will say business leaders must do much more to advocate reform as well as play an ongoing and active role in public policy to help people cope with the consequences of change. "We do nobody any favours – least of all our shareholders – when we boast proudly, on the one hand, that we are the source of jobs and incomes but, on the other, insist that we need accept no responsibility for the impact of our business decisions on communities and the environment," he will tell the 2017 Committee for Economic Development of Australia summit. Advertisement He will cite research conducted by NAB which shows while 82 per cent of businesses think Australia is a great place to run a business now, only 60 per cent believe it will remain so in 10 years' time. When asked what was needed to stimulate business growth, business leaders identified population growth, greater certainty in the domestic economy, less red tape, a simpler taxation system, modern and efficient infrastructure and better access to skilled domestic workers. Dr Henry will argue business cannot just hope for these things without playing a part as both an advocate and facilitator. "It's up to business to create the case for change. We must start with a realistic assessment of where we are – setting out the challenges and opportunities before us – and a clear road map to the future being described by our citizens. "Topics that we have traditionally assumed to be in the domain of public policy, and not the stuff of business, are going to have to become our constant preoccupation. "Australia's business leaders have to accept responsibility for ensuring that strong population growth, and the investment opportunities that go with it, lift economic and social opportunity for all, without damaging the quality of the environment we pass to future generations. That means that we have to take an interest in traffic congestion, housing affordability, urban amenity and environmental amenity, including climate change mitigation and adaptation." He will say that if business wants better access to skilled workers, "then we are going to have to offer those workers the prospect of better lives". "If we want modern and efficient infrastructure, then we are going to have to take an interest in the design of our cities, we are going to have to take an interest in regional development, and we are going to have to take an interest in the planning of new urban centres," he will say. "If we want less red tape and less regulation, then we are going to have to demonstrate that regulation is not necessary. "And if we want greater certainty in the domestic economy, then we are going to have to start delivering it ourselves." |
When Namibia’s president Hage Geingob appointed Bishop Zephania Kameeta as minister of poverty eradication and social welfare last year, the Basic Income activists saw this as a step towards the introduction of a nationwide Basic Income Grant (BIG). President Geingob was considered to be amongst the supporters of a BIG within the ruling SWAPO party, while Bishop Kameeta was the chairperson of Namibia’s BIG Coalition and an initiator of the BIG pilot project in Otjivero. At the beginning of April 2016, the president presented his state of the nation address as well as the “Harambee Prosperity Plan”, which focused on combating poverty by the creation of jobs through economic growth. There was no mention of a systematic redistribution of the existing wealth, even though Namibia has among the greatest income inequality of all countries, with a Gini index of about 60. The only specific anti-poverty measures mentioned by Namibia’s president have been the establishment of a “food bank” to benefit of the urban poor and a promise to provide jobless youth with grants, provided that they contribute to the activities of the food bank, identify beneficiaries, help to keep the streets clean and assist with “community policing”. The ministry of poverty eradication is expected to present its own specific measures in the next few weeks, but it is doubtful that the introduction of a national BIG will happen in the near future. This is a serious setback for the hopes that have risen since the appointment of Bishop Kameeta. This is particularly disappointing since Namibia’s pilot project in Otjivero had not only shown how effective a BIG could be but also inspired people in Kenya to launch another big BIG pilot project in their country. This should have encouraged the Namibian government to implement the BIG on a national scale. More information at: Language: German Von Herbert Jauch, “Food bank statt Grundeinkommen [A food bank instead of basic income]”, Junge Welt, April 13th, 2016 |
NASA has found new evidence of 219 planets outside our Solar System. Ten of those exoplanets appear to be similar to the size of the Earth and orbit their stars in the habitable zone — just far enough away to develop water, but not so far that they freeze. If confirmed, they would be added to a small but growing list of Earth-sized planets that occupy our corner of the Milky Way galaxy, supporting the idea that rocky worlds are more common than we once thought. The potential discoveries are part of the final catalog of results being released from the first Kepler space telescope mission. Kepler has been surveying the Cygnus constellation since 2009, and during that time scientists have found more than 5,000 potential exoplanets in an area of the sky about 3,000 light-years away from Earth. Today’s announcement whittled those candidates down to 4,034. A total of 2,335 of those have been verified as exoplanets, 21 of which are Earth-sized and orbit in their star’s habitable zone. Earth-sized planets are of particular interest because they can teach us about how our own planet formed, and because there's a small chance they could harbor life. 2,335 exoplanets confirmed, and 21 of them Earth-sized and in the habitable zone — so far Kepler spots planets by looking for dips in the brightness of the stars they orbit, known as a “transit.” When scientists see this happen, they then study each signal to confirm that it’s coming from a planet passing in front of the star and not some other anomaly. If it is a planet, that Kepler data can be used to determine its mass, size, and orbital period, or how long it takes to go around the star. To get these newly refined results, the team moved away from identifying each signal by hand — an inconsistent method according to Susan Thompson, a Kepler research scientist for the SETI Institute. “You'd walk in and you go, ‘Looks like a transit. Looks like a transit. Looks like a variable star.’ You know what I mean? It was like, ‘Junk, junk, variable star — ooh, planet!’ It would be like that. We stopped doing it that way,” she said during a NASA podcast interview. So to fix this, the Kepler team simulated their own positive and false signals of planet transits and compared them to the actual data from the mission. This allowed the team to figure out where they might have overcounted or undercounted a particular type of planet. The result is that this final catalog should be the most accurate ever released by the Kepler team. “A major new division in the family tree of exoplanets” NASA is getting better at identifying Earth-sized exoplanets in other ways, too. The team spent five years working with the operators of the ground-based Keck telescope in Hawaii to study 1,300 stars that hosted planets of these sizes. From that effort, they were able to surmise what Benjamin Fulton, the lead author on this study, called “a major new division in the family tree of exoplanets” during a press conference about the news. He compared the identification of these new planet classes to the discovery that mammals and lizards are separate branches on the tree of life. The division now is between two categories: “super-Earths,” or rocky planets about 1.5 times the size of our own, and “mini-Neptunes,” gassy planets more than 2.5 times Earth’s size. They’re terms were already used but were sometimes considered interchangeable. And It’s an important distinction to make, because Neptune-sized planets are almost always inhospitable to life as we know it. “Our result sharpens up the dividing line,” Fulton said. Better knowledge of how to find planets like our own will help scientists sift through this final catalog of data from Kepler’s original mission. It will also allow scientists to write better lists of promising targets that more powerful telescopes can study in the future. With the final catalog of planetary candidates from Kepler’s original mission released, NASA will now focus on the “K2” mission, which began in 2014. K2, which has found over 100 different exoplanets so far, was started as a way to give the telescope a second life after Kepler suffered multiple mission-threatening technological setbacks. Two of the telescope’s four reaction wheels had failed — one in 2012, and one in 2013 — and at least three are needed to properly aim the telescope. Luckily, team scientists devised a clever workaround by using the Sun’s pressure on the telescope’s solar panels as a stand-in for the broken wheel. Not an ending, but a new beginning Kepler can still hunt for planets, but photons from the Sun don’t generate as much force as a reaction wheel can. The limits of the K2 mission mean scientists have to go about their searches more methodically. It’s akin to picking up leaves in your yard one by one instead of raking them all into a bag. The telescope will continue on with K2 until it runs out of fuel, likely sometime in 2018. When asked during the press conference how the team felt about Kepler’s first mission coming to a close, Thompson explained that she sees it more as a new beginning. “It’s amazing the things that Kepler has found,” Thompson said. “It has shown us these terrestrial worlds, and we still have all this work to do to really understand how common Earths are in the galaxy.” |
BOSTON -- The Golden State Warriors felt they endured some questionable calls during their 92-88 loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday at TD Garden. Golden State got to the free throw line 19 times, compared to Boston receiving 38 attempts, and the Warriors were called for 24 fouls, nine more than the Celtics. Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving took trips to the line seven times in the fourth quarter, and made all of them. However, some of his trips were viewed as suspect by the Warriors. Irving was 4-of-16 from the field, finishing with 16 points. "He got to the free throw line a lot. That was it. He didn't make no shots," Draymond Green said after the game. "He got to the free throw line. Whether they were fouls or not is another discussion." With 3:55 left, Irving brought the ball up the court with Klay Thompson defending. He drove hard to the left, initiating contact. Thompson kept his hands up to refrain from reaching, but he was assessed a personal foul. Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala and Kevin Durant flung their arms in the air in bewilderment. Irving nailed both free throws, giving the Celtics a two-point lead. At the 1:55 mark with the Warriors up two, Irving attacked Thompson again, but this time he drove to his right and lunged his body in the direction of the rim for a difficult shot. Thompson was trailing by half a step and caught Irving with some contact in the back and was assessed another foul. Thompson couldn't believe it, as he walked away from the play to avoid being called for a technical foul. Durant and Iguodala threw their hands upward in disgust. Irving walked to the line and drilled the pair to tie the score. But the most controversial call occurred with 14 seconds left with the score tied at 88. Green switched onto Irving at the top of the key. Irving crossed Green over a bit, penetrated and attacked two Warriors' defenders in the paint. Green recovered, also challenging the circus layup attempt from behind as Irving spilled awkwardly to the floor. The ball clanked off the rim, but Green was hit with a foul. This time, all five of the Warriors' players reacted to the call. Head coach Steve Kerr was irate. "I just watched the tape. There was no foul. Tough call," Kerr said following the game. Kevin Durant and the Warriors saw their seven-game win streak snapped by the Celtics, who in turn have won 14 straight. David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Irving connected on both free throws to go up two. The Celtics wouldn't give up the lead again and went on to extend their league-high winning streak to 14 while snapping the Warriors' streak at seven. Thompson was whistled for three fourth-quarter fouls, all of them while defending Irving. "I guess, I can't foul," he said sarcastically. "I have to give him more space when he drives, I guess. That's what I'll do next time." Durant provided a glimpse of his frustration level with the free throw disparity, but he kept his emotions in check. "At the end of the game, they shot six free throws," he said. "I thought it was great defense. ... It's hard to play like that. But on the other end, I think we got to execute better on the offensive end." Celtics coach Brad Stevens says he encourages his guys to stay in attack mode. "We talk all the time about we want to get free throws, layups or 3s and play inside-out and we made an emphasis on that at the start of training camp," Stevens said. "You don't always get to the line quite as much, but I thought we really drove it hard. They are so hard to score on, you have to convert when you do get to the line." When asked if the Celtics are on the Warriors' championship level, Thompson quickly dismissed that notion. "Nah, it takes a lot of basketball to get there," he said. "...They have a better record than us. You can say they're better than us right now." Boston appears to be a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference. For three consecutive years, it has been the Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Might this be Boston's year? "It's very, very likely, right?" Curry said. "They're playing the best right now in the East and obviously until they beat Cleveland, who's done it three years in a row -- so we'll see, but I hear the weather is great here in June." |
UPDATE: 10/9: Michael Monnig, the Dallas County Sheriff's Office employee who was taken to the hospital Wednesday amid fears of Ebola virus exposure, tested negative for the virus, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced Thursday. Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, where Monnig is receiving care, also released a statement Thursday morning saying that Monnig is currently in good condition, with no symptoms that are consistent with Ebola. * * * Sgt. Michael Monnig, an employee of the Dallas County Sheriff's Office, was taken to the hospital Wednesday amid fears that he had been exposed to the Ebola virus, the sheriff's office confirmed. Authorities later announced that Monnig was at "minimal" risk, but said they were proceeding "with an abundance of caution." Monnig had been in the apartment Thomas Eric Duncan was staying in before he was hospitalized and diagnosed with Ebola, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported. Duncan, the first patient to be diagnosed with the virus in the U.S., died Wednesday morning. WFAA reported that Monnig went into the apartment without wearing protective gear in order to have a quarantine order signed. Monnig’s son Logan said Wednesday his father had been monitoring his own temperature since last week and had been experiencing fatigue and stomach pain, so he decided to get checked out at a clinic to be safe. “He spent very little time in the apartment, and he did not come in contact with Mr. Duncan or any bodily fluids,” Logan Monnig told the Dallas Morning News. “We’re just waiting for the facts right now to make sure he’s OK.” The city of Frisco, Texas, said in a statement on Wednesday that "a patient exhibiting signs and symptoms of Ebola" had been identified. Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas confirmed that a patient was admitted to the hospital's emergency room after possible exposure to the virus. "Right now, there are more questions than answers about this case," a hospital spokesperson said. "Our professional staff of nurses and doctors is prepared to examine the patient, discuss any findings with appropriate agencies and officials. We are on alert with precautions and systems in place. At the same time, we are caring for routine cases which are completely separate in operations." “The risk is minimal,” said Frisco Mayor Maher Maso, adding that they are proceeding “with an abundance of caution.” Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control, said that he could not confirm whether or not Monnig has definite symptoms of Ebola or if he had direct contact with Duncan. The state had been monitoring 48 people who may have come into contact with Duncan, but Monnig was not among them. Frieden said that none of the 48 had exhibited any suggestive symptoms. |
These might be the last episodes, but Lena Dunham's HBO comedy still has things to say and boundaries to push. I think we can all agree that the final scene of Girls isn't going to be Hannah, Shosh, Jessa and Marnie sitting cross-legged in a circle, holding hands with a candle in the middle as Hannah announces, "Well, we used to be girls, but now ... we're women" as it fades to black. There are no secrets to be revealed, no answers to be given and no expectations that any of our heroines are guaranteed a stable resting point at the end of this sixth and concluding season. With no obvious destinations to steer toward, the first three episodes of the last Girls season find Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner working without a trace of complacency and with creative boundaries they obviously want to push. While the season-opening episodes contain periodic hints at the show's mortality, there are still axes to grind and think pieces to be spawned here. Girls is, of course, coming off of a fifth season that caused a few previous detractors to go, "Wow, the show is finally growing up," which was neither true nor a complete falsehood, I suppose (more the latter than the former). For the characters, growth on Girls has always come in fits and starts. They didn't grow up last year any more than they grew up in previous seasons, at least not permanently. Last season definitely saw the writers experimenting with location and form and focus — from the destination wedding episode to Shosh in Tokyo to the shockingly emotional Marnie-centric "The Panic in Central Park" — but that wasn't really new, either. Girls has often been criticized for its insularity, but perhaps it hasn't been adequately enough celebrated for the frequency with which it used that insularity as a way to see the greater world. Put a different way, Girls is still viewed as a hipstery Brooklyn show when it was only ever that as an early way to establish these characters, and it ceased to be exclusively that a long time ago. It happens that each of the three sixth-season episodes sent in advance to critics are atypical episodes of Girls, if you still keep the show in its initial box, which means they're typical of the show Girls has become. The first episode picks up in the aftermath of Hannah's (Dunham) triumphant New York Times column about Jessa (Jemima Kirke) and Adam's (Adam Driver) betrayal. Suddenly, Hannah finds herself in demand as a writer and lands an unlikely gig going to Montauk and writing about the fad of wealthy women appropriating surfing culture. The episode, which runs a whopping 42 minutes, features the ubiquitous Riz Ahmed as Hannah's go-with-the-flow instructor and, with impunity, trolls the show's "Why is Lena naked all the time?" and "Why is there so little diversity?" detractors, while illustrating its increased ability or willingness to expand boundaries. That Hannah doesn't respond to having her boundaries expanded gracefully is Hannah's problem and not the show's problem, which has always been something people who dislike Girls have struggled to understand. It's a really good episode, it lets Ahmed rap, it continues to underline how underrated Dunham is as an actress and it's the closest the show has ever come to winking in the direction of traditional romantic comedy. There's more genre play in the second episode, which takes the toxic and disintegrated Desi/Marnie marriage to a logical extreme as a horror movie and that will doubtlessly irk some viewers, though I laughed really hard in a way that I'm 95 percent sure was intentional. The episode features a different sort of nightmare as its B-story, reinforcing the cousin relationship between Shosh and Jessa (one that I confess I'd totally forgotten existed). The third episode, one that you'll surely read dozens of online essays about, is Dunham's Oleanna, a two-hander featuring guest star Matthew Rhys in a terrific guest turn that calls to mind Patrick Wilson's season-two episode "One Man's Trash." The episode will be interpreted as Dunham commenting on people commenting on Dunham's comments on nearly everything she's commented on over the past five years or, rather, it's about what happens when you use your public forum to address a social issue and somebody says, "What gives you that right?" I don't think this is as good an episode as "One Man's Trash," but I still give Dunham a respectful "I see what you're doing here" nod and I'll rewatch it before it airs on the assumption that I'll have to write something about it then. That's three episodes, each with a different setting and each with a markedly different tone, but there are unifying elements, including echoed mentions of Buddhism and Flamin' Hot Cheetos, plus repeated musings on maturation that read in a different way with the series coming to an end. The second episode in particular focuses on how grown-up, or not grown-up, all of the characters have become and what they've learned, or failed to learn, from their recent history. The episodes also all have Hannah at the forefront, but Shosh, Jessa and Marnie have good material in the first two, with good moments from Alex Karpovsky's Ray and Andrew Rannells' Elijah. Things are a little Adam-lite, at least to begin with, but Driver's a rather busy guy and there are more episodes to come. I certainly don't think we've seen the last Hannah/Adam scene. You can be sure that we'll be checking in as one of the better comedies of the past decade ends its run, but through three episodes, Girls is back on solid and often increasingly inventive footing. Cast: Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver, Alex Karpovsky, Andrew Rannells Creator: Lena Dunham Showrunners: Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner Premieres: Sunday, 10 p.m. ET/PT (HBO) |
Real Madrid star Kaka has dealt a blow to both Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, after his agent revealed the midfielder isn’t going anywhere during the January transfer window. No move: Kaka wants to stay at Madrid (Picture: AFP/Getty) The playmaker has been dogged by injuries and has subsequently struggled to settle in Spain following his £56million move from AC Milan in 2009, prompting mass speculation that Madrid are looking to cut their losses. Chelsea are long-term admirers of Kaka, having tried to sign him weeks before Madrid came calling, while ambitious PSG are backed by wealthy Qatari owners, and are on the prowl for superstar talent. However, any plans the duo had of trying to bag the 29-year-old during the transfer window have been put to bed, after Kaka’s agent, Diogo Katscho, admitted his player does not believe in doing business during in the New Year. ‘Kaka doesn’t believe in winter departures. The sums involved are very big and a transfer is something that has to be sorted out calmly, not in a rush.’ Advertisement Advertisement ‘A winter departure is almost impossible.’ Kaka may have started to turn the tide at Madrid, having seen his playing time starting to increase, while his return to the Brazilian national team is another key reason behind staying put. Katscho added: ‘Kaka is now satisfied at Real. He feels much better, is back in the Brazil team and doesn’t want to leave.’ It’s still expected that Kaka will be allowed to leave in the summer, as part of a planned squad overhaul by manager Jose Mourinho, who is targeting Benfica prospect Nicolas Gaitan as a replacement. MOREChelsea transfer news and gossip |
The final section of aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales began its delivery voyage from Glasgow to Rosyth today, 10 weeks ahead of schedule. As part of the the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier program, newbuilds HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales will be the Royal Navy’s largest and most advanced ever warships and were constructed in blocks in different shipyards throughout the U.K. The final section being delivered, known as the Aft Island, weighs 750 metric tons and will control aircraft operations aboard the second aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales. Minister of State for Defense Procurement, Philip Dunne MP said, “Our aircraft carriers, the largest ships ever built in Scotland for the Royal Navy, will help to secure the U.K.’s interests both at home and abroad. “Our new F-35 Lightning II aircraft will fly from the decks of HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2018. This is all made possible by our growing Equipment budget, which has increased to £178billion, ensuring we are providing our men and women with the best equipment possible.” Iain Stevenson, QE Class Project Director at BAE Systems, said, “There’s more hard work to be done, but there’s also an incredible momentum behind the program as mission systems are tested on HMS Queen Elizabeth and assembly continues for HMS Prince of Wales. HMS Queen Elizabeth is now very much alive and we’re fast approaching the day that she’ll make her first triumphant entry into her Portsmouth home.” 144 wheels, 16 axles and a single remote control were used to drive the Aft Island from the Ship Build Hall in Glasgow onto a seagoing barge for its 1,335 mile journey around the south coast of England. The Queen Elizabeth Class are the first aircraft carriers in the world to use a twin-island design. The Forward Island contains the bridge and is primarily responsible for the command of the ship. The Aft Island is responsible for the ship’s mission systems and act as an aircraft control tower. While each island has a primary role, both are able to incorporate the other’s role in an emergency, increasing the survivability of the ship. The Queen Elizabeth Class will be the centerpiece of Britain’s maritime capability. Each 65,000 metric ton aircraft carrier will provide the armed forces with a four acre military operating base, which can be deployed worldwide. The vessels will be versatile enough to be used for operations ranging from supporting war efforts to providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief. |
OPPO’s innovative phablet with rotating camera, the OPPO N1, will soon be available in an al new colour option! Here are the first photos for the Midnight Black Oppo N1! The 5.9-inch device was spotted in what is believed to be a dark blue or ‘midnight black’ as OPPO choose to call it. Although there’s no word from OPPO yet, but we would like to believe there’s a midnight black version coming. OPPO employed a similar strategy with the Find 5, when they initially released a white version of the device which was later joined by a midnight black edition. Given the midnight black edition does happen, it would mean that the OPPO N1 has a handful variants — OPPO N1 Pepsi Edition, OPPO N1 CyanogenMod Edition and of course the plain white OPPO N1. If you missed it, we recently posted an in-depth review of the device. |
Sexual release is a basic human need but it has always been subject to social norms, law and morality. In Thai prisons, regulations place even the internal needs of inmates under the state’s vigorous control.But the state can never fully control the force of human desire. Sexual activities happen in the everyday reality of prison life, though consensual sexual activities are largely limited to partners of the same sex. Sexual activities in prisons occur both among lovers and as pragmatic commerce. According to the Department of Corrections Thailand’s prisons house some 269,745 inmates whose gender does not correspond to their biological sex as of 24 December 2015. These are stories that ‘outsiders’ may have never heard. Behind-bars marriage and ‘love hotel’ brothels Am is an ex-inmate who identifies as sex and gender diverse (SGD). She was imprisoned in 2014. She recounts that she was treated generally well by wardens and other inmates. “The boss (wardens) banned male prisoners from harassing katoey (transwomen) inmates. Sexual harassment was not an issue because men obeyed the rule.” Am’s prison had many SGD inmates, making it common to see partnering and wedding ceremonies behind bars. When couples decided to marry, a warden could issue a marriage certificate valid only in the prison. Once married, the couple was forbidden to commit adultery. If this rule was violated, the guilty party would be punished by being splashed with sewage or submerged in a sewage container for some time. Yong, an inmate in a northern prison for over 3 years, recounts similar experiences of in-jail wedding ceremonies. Wardens were invited to chair a simple ceremony to announce the coming together of a couple. At the end of the ceremony, the couple would host a small reception with food from the Prison Welfare Shop for their peers. Yong added that some influential inmates — referred to as ‘big bros’ — succeeded in brewing liquor for their guests. Secretly, inmates fermented liquor by buying bread and yeast. The yeast was used in a fermentation process with glutinous rice in closed-lid buckets. When yeast eats sugar, it releases alcohol. While Thai prisons are accepting of weddings and coupling, sexual intimacy remains inherently troubled since prisons are designed to make inmates feel as though they are being constantly watched. While intercourse needs privacy, the prison is a place with few hidden corners. Someone always sees or hears. Perhaps only ‘big bros’ can use toilets to masturbate alone. No one dares to disturb them. Prison rules clearly prohibit and punish sexual acts. If a warden sees sexual activities, inmates can be disciplined immediately. But all this does not mean that prison is a place where people do not have sex at all. Indeed, unofficial businesses have sprung up purely to serve the sexual needs of inmates. Am reported that from Monday to Friday, all inmates were required to work in assigned divisions. But they were free on Saturday and Sunday, when wardens let the inmates relax. The few hours free from the wardens’ watchful eyes were valuable. In many prison, ‘big bros’ operate make-shift brothels or ‘love hotels’. Payment is made by bartering goods such as cigarettes. "Ladyboy groups have big sisters — senior ladyboys — who set up temporary sheds from blankets draped in the form of enclosed rooms. Clients can buy time with them, while married couples can rent the sheds.” “But [the love hotels] are only tolerated on the weekend. If the sheds are opened on other days, responsible prisoners will be heavily punished.” Boss, a former political prisoner in the central region for more than two years, also remembers ‘love hotels’ from his time in prison. He recalls that sex in prison was common and helped inmates relieve stress from the pressure of prison life. “[Sex in prison] could be dirty, indecent, whatever. For long-term prisoners, having sex with a ladyboy is a form of relaxation. Some fall in love and live as couples.” “Sure, you can jack-off in prison if you do not care about being seen. But some people like friction, penetration and contraction. Some people need something like that.” Boss recalled that his prison had several ‘love hotels’ but that his zone was the most famous. Its name rhymed with a famous red light district in Bangkok and was popular because it only allowed inmates under 22 years of age. Most people using this service were 'big bros'. Ness, a fellow ex-inmate of Boss, believes that sex in prison was far from being regarded as sinful. “Inmates think it’s normal. It’s understandable for men who have been imprisoned for many years. They have needs and want release. When someone sees an inmate departing from [a love hotel], they won’t tease because they understand that it is normal." Access to condoms varies from prison to prison. Ness recalls that monthly boxes of condoms were distributed in his prison to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. But Am said access to condoms in her prison was difficult. Inmates were forced to sign a list to obtain condoms. Most inmates did not dare to volunteer themselves, aside from the ‘big bros’. If inmates asked for condoms too regularly, a warden would investigate whether they were engaging in sexual commerce. If caught, they would be punished. “Prevention is difficult. An inmate friend is now living with HIV and is on antiretroviral therapy. It's not easy to ask for condoms. Who would dare to sign the form unless they are big bros?" Sexual abuse and ‘influential figures’ Am recalls that some prisoners turned to the sex trade to earn a living in prison currency. "Some ladyboys do not have money. They may not have friends or visitors and are forced to engage in sex work for money. When you are in a prison, you need money to buy rice to eat and decent food. No one wants to eat from the canteen." Sex in prisons can be consensual love or reciprocal barter in place of monetary exchange. However, there are stories of sexual abuse in prison. Am and Boss insist the abuse is real and that the harassment has lasting and devastating physical and psychological impacts on victims. In prison, the slang ‘scoring young men’ refers to a process whereby ‘big bros’ or influential inmates persuade new-comers and young inmates to join their groups. The young inmates are invited especially if they have pale skin, are shapely and Chinese-looking, and if they do not know anyone in a prison. A 'big bro’ can arrange for special care for newcomers, such as not being assigned to daunting tasks, better meals and money loans. Some big bros are interested in demonstrating their power and charisma by looking after other inmates. Nevertheless, some have the purpose of persuading newcomers to relinquish sexual partners in mind. The process may involve the use of violence to coerce. “When a Chinese-looking white young men arrives, big brothers will approach them and ask for information like, where the inmate is from, what their charges are. Big brothers will take care of inmates, so they do not have to work hard. It does not mean that the new inmates will be recruited only for sex, but having young and good-looking inmates around a big brother will add to his prestige. Some big brothers want sex in exchange. Some newcomers are pliable and go along with sexual proposals," said Boss. Boss remembers two cases of rape. The first case involved a male inmate persuaded to stay with a ‘big brother’ to pay a debt. Another case involved a Burmese inmate forced to have sex every day by threat of physically attack. "Some inmates owed big bros a lot and they could not pay back. They would have to pay it back through sex. It was not consensual because if the borrowers disagreed, they might be beaten, perhaps to death. Finally, they would agree because the big bros had goons to threaten them. They do the deed in secret corners or a secluded space between buildings. If a warden finds out, they will be in trouble but no one dares to say anything.” Boss believes that most sexual abuse in prison does not manifest in a sudden event, but happens in a subtle manner. The abuses are coercive in nature and usually involve ‘big bros’ extending offers or conditions an inmate cannot refuse. Boss believes it is impossible to control sexual abuse in prisons. Wardens can relocate an abused inmate to another zone but big bros are omnipresent in the prisons. They can send goons to beat inmates who leak abuses to the warden. Many people may think punishing those influential individuals can reduce sexual abuse and commerce. But to Boss, it is a systemic issue, “rather than a personal problem.” “They want sex”: allowing sexual visitation Boss believes that sexual commerce and STIs can be reduced if prisons allow inmates to spend time with their partners once or twice a year. “Inmates want conjugal visits like foreign prisons, where inmates are allowed time with their partners. Right now, prisons have in-prison visits two or three times a year. You can see and touch your visitors. Some inmates hug, sniff, kiss, fondle the breasts or whatever. They cannot have sex though,” said Boss. “I think prisons should organise conjugal visitation because people are suffering in prisons. The only release from such torture is having someone you love stay with you and really making love. Even now, though inmates cannot have intimate moments, just a letter from their wife is enough to make them go over the moon. Other people will mock them when they receive a letter because they are so happy.” But conjugal visits may be difficult to implement because most Thai prisons are overcrowded. Prisons have insufficient resources to handle the tremendous numbers of inmates. They would not have the space to accommodate conjugal visits. The proposal to allow inmates to have conjugal visits is not groundless. Assoc. Prof. Siriwan Kraisurapong, a lecturer in medical social sciences at Mahidol University has advocated for intimate visits in her 2014 report ‘Sex in Prisons’. The rationale behind her proposal is that ‘underground’ sex is resulting in unusually high rates of sexually-transmitted diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Siriwan argues that Thailand’s prison system has no clear policies recognising the sexual lives of inmates. Sexual violence is subsequently swept under the rug. She believes organisations working with prisoners should realise that sexual intercourse and sexual violence is present in prisons. Doing so is key to resolving health-related issues, including the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. "I do not think that intercourse in prison is wrong. I do not think it is a matter to be controlled, attacked, concealed or forbidden. Sex in jail can release mental tension if it is consensual. I think prisons should allow it,” concluded Siriwan. |
Syrian government forces have captured the strategically important town of Halfaya where al-Nusra Front had been massing forces, the army has said. The army on Thursday also said it had secured nearby areas close to Hama military airport, driving back an offensive by fighters whose advance had threatened several government loyalist towns populated mostly by minority Christians and Alawites. Halfaya, north west of Hama province, was taken by government forces after days of fighting with the al-Qaeda linked group, al-Nusra Front, which is known to be active in Hama and towns surrounding it. Dozens of fighters from both sides have been killed in the week of fighting, the Syrian Observatory for Human rights said. Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Observatory, said al-Nusra Front fighters had staged a sudden withdrawal from Halfaya. "In the last week they called in other fighters because they couldn't continue," he said. The gains helped strengthen government control of a key corridor of territory stretching north from Damascus to the coast including the heartlands of the minority Alawite sect which forms President Bashar al-Assad's power base. The army command said in a statement that the offensive aims "to wipe out terrorists in northern parts of Hama.'' It added that "a large number of terrorists were killed in the fighting, many of them foreign fighters as well as a large number of their vehicles and weapons being destroyed". The Observatory along with local activists said the army offensive was commanded by one of Syria's best known officers, Colonel Suheil Al-Hassan also known as 'the tiger'. Meanwhile al-Nusra Front said their leader Abu Mohammad al-Golani, had been leading the offensive in Halfaya. The group have been behind attacks in recent weeks on the historic Christian town of Mahradeh, which is west of Halfaya. |
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