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Wildlife Services Challenged In early June environmental groups filed a law suit against the euphemistically named “Wildlife Services” WS (formerly Animal Damage Control) to halt its killing of wolves in Idaho. Last year the federal agency killed 72 Idaho wolves at the behest of ranchers, and sometimes hunters as well. In the past decade, WS has killed over 650 wolves in the Gem State. Much of this killing occurred while they were supposedly “protected” under the Endangered Species Act. Even more galling is some of the wolves killed from planes and helicopters were in the Lolo Pass region, an area that is largely roadless. This was done to appease elk hunters who claim wolves are harming their hunting opportunities, even though the IDFG acknowledges that changing habitat conditions are largely the reason for declining elk numbers (regrowth after large wildfires is replacing shrubs with trees). Some of these wolf-killing methods included very inhumane procedures including strangulation with neck snares, leg hold traps with animals left to suffer for days before they were ultimately killed, and wounded animals that are left to die a slow death. The groups, Western Watersheds Project, Predator Defense, WildEarth Guardians, Center for Biodiversity and Friends of the Clearwater, contend that the USDA’s Wildlife Services has not done an adequate job of evaluating the need for, or the impact of its killing program on wolves and other wildlife. They demand the agency halt its slaughter until it updates its management through an Environmental Impact Statement that incorporates new science. Let’s review many of the justifications for wolf control given by Wildlife Services as well as state agencies. The first problem is the idea that there is a problem in need of solving by killing wolves. Livestock losses due to wolves are a very minor component of the annual sources of livestock mortality. For instance, in 2014 43 cattle and 103 sheep deaths in Idaho were attributed to wolf predation. But context is needed. According to the Idaho Department of Agriculture, in 2015 Idaho was home to 2,300,000 cattle and calves, 579,000 dairy cows, and 260,000 sheep and lambs. The losses attributed to lobos are not even worth noting given how few livestock are actually killed by wolves. Why are we spending any money protecting private livestock from wolf losses? There are certainly much bigger problems facing the livestock industry than wolves—including poison plants, disease, weather, even domestic dogs kill more livestock than wolves. If we can beyond this notion that wolves are a threat to the Idaho livestock industry, one can easily question why we are spending tax dollars at all to kill wolves. The money spent trying to kill wolves is likely greater than the value of the livestock losses. Not to mention that ranchers are compensated already for any livestock losses due to wolves. Beyond this issue of solving a problem that does not exist, there is new science that suggests that killing wolves can actually increase livestock depredation. The reason is simple. Wolves are social animals. They work cooperatively in packs to bring down large mammals. If you kill some pack members, you reduce the efficiency of that pack in capturing prey. A pack in disarray is far more likely to kill livestock. Indeed, one study in Wisconsin demonstrated that smaller packs were more likely to kill livestock than larger packs. Killing wolves (or any predator) skews the population towards younger animals. Younger animals are less skillful at hunting and often less wary. Both of which can contribute to greater human conflicts. Another argument given for killing wolves is hunter appeasement. The idea is that if you kill wolves—as Wildlife Services is doing in the Lolo Pass area—you will garner more tolerance for wolves among hunters. Yet research, again in Wisconsin, calls into question that assertion. There, once wolves were delisted from the Endangered Species Act and the state initiated a hunting season, acceptance of wolves among hunters actually declined. Another recent study also showed that poaching of wolves actually increased after hunting was initiated. A third argument given for wolf killings is that without legal control wolves will decimate wild prey populations. The evidence does not substantiate this claim. In Montana in 1992, there were 89,000 elk in the state, and in 2016 their numbers had risen to 167,000 despite the presence of 500-600 wolves. Idaho has seen similar outcomes. In 2014 hunters killed 12,000 more deer than any time since 1992 and more elk since 2005. What this suggests is that hunting opportunity is certainly not hurting due to the presence of wolves. The justifications for lethal wolf control simply do not exist. And why US taxpayers should be spending our tax dollars to kill an animal that only recently was taken off the Endangered Species list begs answers. Hopefully the law suit will force Wildlife Services to evaluate its underlying assumptions and conclude its war on predators is no longer valid. If it merely rehashes its same old justifications, than this is one agency that taxpayers should no longer support with our hard earned dollars. |
A&E film crew for “The First 48” was present during police raid An attorney for the family of a 7-year-old girl who was killed by a police officer’s bullet during a weekend raid at their home said Monday that he saw video of the raid that contradicts the police department’s version of what happened. Attorney Geoffrey Fieger said he watched three or four minutes of video that showed police fired into the home after lobbing a flash grenade through the window. He said this contradicts the police department’s story, which was that the officer’s gun discharged during a struggle or collision inside the home with the girl’s grandmother. “There is no question about what happened because it’s in the videotape,” Fieger said. “It’s not an accident. It’s not a mistake. There was no altercation. “The gun was fired before anyone goes through the door. There are lights all over, like it’s a television set.” A camera crew for the cable television crime-reality series “The First 48” was at the raid, although Fieger declined to say whether the video he watched was shot by the crew. A&E spokesman Dan Silberman said neither he nor anyone else from the network would comment about the case. Fieger said more than one camera was recording at the scene. “It demonstrates conclusively, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what happened in this case,” the attorney said. “The pictures don’t lie. It’s got sound and everything.” Michigan State Police detectives have taken charge of the investigation. Detroit police were trying to obtain any footage of the raid captured by the film crew, which had been shadowing city homicide investigators almost daily since early this year, Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee said Monday. Godbee said Detroit police would not be commenting on the tactics they employed during the raid, but that the department was not concerned that the film crew had any affect on how it was conducted. The target of the search, a 34-year-old man suspected of killing a 17-year-old boy, was arrested in the upstairs unit at the two-family home. Police had warrants to search both units, and relatives of the girl were seen Monday going in and out of both. This video is from My Fox Detroit, published May 17, 2010. With Associated Press; Mochila insert follows… |
I get it, I do. I was into programming my whole teenage life, including stints in a run-of-the-mill American middle school, a brainy high school in Turkey, and as a computer science undergraduate in college, which I started when I was 16. And, why, yes, I was almost always the the only girl in my “geek” social circles, thanks for asking. Hence, I was struck with recognition by Nate Silver’s defense to criticisms that his, and other journalism start-ups, are hiring lots of (mostly white) guys and reproducing old power structures. In response to Emily Bell’s article, Journalism startups aren’t a revolution if they’re filled with all these white men, where she criticizes Silver for seeking “clubhouse chemistry”, Silver says: The phrase “clubhouse chemistry” is an allusion to baseball, but the idea that we’re bro-y people just couldn’t be more off. We’re a bunch of weird nerds. We’re outsiders, basically. And so we have people who are gay, people of different backgrounds. I don’t know. I found the piece reaaaally, really frustrating. And that’s as much as I’ll say. In a nutshell, I think this paragraph helps explain a reasonable chunk of Silicon Valley’s gender problems. Many tech guys, many young and recently ascendant, think something along these lines: “Wait, we’re not the jocks. We aren't the people who were jerks. We never pushed anyone into a locker and smashed their face. We’re the people who got teased for being brainy, for not being macho, the ones who never got a look from the popular girls (or boys), the ones who were bullied for our interests in science and math, and… what’s wrong with Dungeons & Dragons, anyway?” In other words, as Silver puts it, “We’re outsiders, basically.” There are two ways to explain what’s missing in this picture: French social theory and Dr. Seuss. Let’s start with Pierre Bourdieu since French High Theory is often less subtle and more direct than a great children’s book. Bourdieu, a renowned French sociologist, proposed that there are many different types of capital. He coined the phrase cultural capital to account for certain ways of being that are valued within a particular social group that go beyond money and connections (economic capital and social capital, respectively). He proposed that these different types of capital are all convertible to each other, in the long run, but at different rates. In other words, money is always money, but your esoteric knowledge in a particular field can be highly valued, or not, depending on a lot of other factors. Cultural capital refers to tastes, practices and ways of being that are valued within one’s social circle: opera, rather than the latest rap song (or vice versa); slow home cooking as a hobby, rather than Nascar racing (or vice versa); Google Glass or “disconnected” weekends. To what degree these are arbitrary, or a mix of history, privilege and functionality is a longstanding debate I’ll ignore for the moment; but the way they shift through history makes some of the arbitrariness easier to understand. Opera, for example, used to be a poor person’s entertainment. So far, so good. Yet, as Bourdieu explained, different kinds of cultural capital operate differently in different habitus, or the persistent social structure in which you operate and which shapes your norms (think of your neighborhood or your social circle in high-school, the people whose views you care about and who exert social and peer pressure on you). A particular behavior may be cherished in one habitus and excluded in another. What is high cultural capital in one habitus may be low value in another—and not just by coincidence, but because people actively use these cues to set themselves apart into groups. Exercising cultural capital by definition makes you an insider and an outsider at one and the same time. Every group, including the excluded and disadvantaged, create cultural capital and behave in ways that simultaneously create a sense of belonging for them in their existing social circle while also potentially denying them entry into another one, often at the expense of economic capital. It’s easy to see that wearing baggy, sagging pants to a job interview, or having large and visible tattoos in a corporate setting, might limit someone’s access. These are some of the markers of belonging used in social groups that are often denied opportunities. By embracing these markers, members of the group create real barriers to acceptance outside their circle even as they deepen their peer relationships. The group chooses to adopt values that are rejected by the society that’s rejecting them. And that’s what happens to “weird nerd” men as well—they create ways of being that allow for internal bonding against a largely exclusionary backdrop. But life’s not just high school, and there is not one kind of hierarchy. What happens when formerly excluded groups gain more power, like techies? They don’t just let go of their old forms of cultural capital. Yet they may be blind to how their old ways of identifying and accepting each other are exclusionary to others. They still interpret the world through their sense of status when they were “basically, outsiders.” Most tech people don’t think of it this way, but the fact that most of them wear jeans all the time is just another example of cultural capital, an arbitrary marker that’s valued in their habitus, both to delineate it and to preserve it. Jeans are arbitrary, as arbitrary as ties. As arbitrary as the arcane and technical code people in my social circles would compete with each other to write during my teen years. C programmers trumped Visual Basic programmers, who were then trumped by Assembly programmers. Assembly programmers competed among themselves, and boasted writing directly in Hexadecimal rather than in Assembly language. People used DOS Debug to directly enter programs rather than using a text editor, or deliberately used the more low-level, cumbersome, interrupt 13 rather than interrupt 21 to do disk operations. If it makes no sense to you, it’s not important, because the point wasn’t what sense they made, but how they delineated community. Like most things about human life, they were primarily about community, status and peer interactions. (Though I’ll admit that I cannot fathom voluntarily coding in Visual Basic). How does that relate to the Silver’s charged defense that his team could not be “bro-y” people? Simple: among the mostly male, smart, geeky groups that most programmers and technical people come from, there is a way of existing that is, yes, often fairly exclusionary to women but not in ways that Silver and his friends recognize as male privilege. When they think of male privilege, they are thinking of “macho” jocks and have come to believe their own habitus as completely natural, all about merit, and also in opposition to macho culture. But if brogrammer culture opposes macho culture, it does not follow that brogrammer culture is automatically welcoming to other excluded groups, such as women. To understand this better, let’s turn to Dr. Suess and the Sneetches. Remember the book? Some Sneetches had stars, and others did not. Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches- Had bellies with stars. The Plain-Belly Sneetches-Had none upon thars. Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small. You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all. When the Star-Belly Sneetches had frankfurter roasts Or picnics or parties or marshmallow toasts, They never invited the Plain-Belly Sneetches. They left them out cold, in the dark of the beaches. They kept them away. Never let them come near. And that’s how they treated them year after year. And then comes along Sylvester McMonkey McBean with his new-fangled machinery that adds stars to a belly for $10. A lot of Sneetches without stars get in line to acquire one! The star-bellied Sneetches then get quite upset as their distinction is lost, and end up paying Sylvester McMonkey McBean more $$$ to get their own stars taken off, which then they proclaim as the new “in” thing. “Good grief!” groaned the ones who had stars at the first. “We’re still the best Sneetches and they are the worst. But, now, how in the world will we know,” they all frowned, “If which kind is what, or the other way round? You can imagine the rest. Sylvester McMonkey McBean drains both kinds of Sneetches of all their money, adding and taking off stars while both sides try to maintain their status through this distinction. The point isn’t the star, or lack thereof, the point is the distinction it confers. (Distinction, by the way, is the name of Pierre Bourdieu’s book on this topic). What are the star-bellies in the tech world? I’ve heard an endless number of stories from the women in the field, and anyone willing to listen will be inundated with more. The issues are complex and hard to pin down to a simple few things but I’ll list some of the most obvious ones (without implying that Nate Silver’s outfit suffers from any and all of these—but these are common enough). Women in tech often: end up representing not just themselves but womanhood in general (the way black people wind up representing all black people, whereas white people can screw up without besmirching their whole race). put up with gendered insults and either pretend to not notice, or take no offense (to be one of the “guys”.) endure sexist jokes and pretend to find them funny, or ignore them. enter social spaces that are constructed around interests that were fostered in earlier, mostly-male environments in which business was also done, and from which women aren’t excluded by decree but resisted through cultural norms. As I said, some of these can be subtle and not reflect standard macho culture, but still be gendered with significant impact if you consider that these go on year after year, and have cumulative effects in that many women— and men— who don’t fit into the “bunch of weird nerds” culture will leave the field. (On the other hand, some are not so subtle and include outright bullying but that’s not what I’m talking about here). What is to be done? The first point is not to be so defensive. I don’t know which ones apply to Fivethirtyeight or Vox or the other startups that Emily Bell writes about. But we do know that their hires have been mostly male and mostly white. If there is indeed a workplace skewed in terms of representation, it helps to listen as much as possible. Of course, the advantage Sneetches had was that the stars were visible and explicit whereas good chunks of the (mostly male) tech culture has inherited a set of distinctions that has helped keep them going in their youth and which they cannot believe is anything but harmless. Lack of critical awareness about the sea in which one swims is a very difficult problem to overcome and requires dropping down defenses to listen, as a first step. It’ quite true that a lot of these problems are “pipeline” problems. Decades of subtle processes can shape the number of qualified applicants and make it hard to hire people across the spectrum. However, it’s not enough to throw up one’s hands and blame the pipeline because the issue continues to persist at every stage and something can be done at every stage. What’s necessary is to create an environment in which women can speak up, and more importantly, be heard. Not every complaint may be equally valid, and the personal and the structural will be a messy mix, as it always is. Some of the offenders will be well-meaning people with blind spots, others might be malicious bullies. Some accusations may feel unjust while others will feel right on. Whatever the way forward, it’s not “we’re outsiders, basically” therefore we couldn’t possibly be exclusionary. And diversity in newsroom or in the development team is not just a feel-good, but a functional need as well. Fiascos such as Google Buzz in which they did not realize the extend of the backlash they’d endure by making people’s email contacts visible to each other, or Grantland’s infamous story in which they could not figure out what was offensive about hounding and outing a trans individual (they didn’t have a single one to look over the story) are some recent examples in which diversity among decision makers would have really helped bring much-needed different viewpoints to the table. Remember how The Sneetches ended? After Sylvester McMonkey McBean starred and unstarred all the Sneetches enough times, they could no longer tell who was who, and which was which. They were all out of patience with the status games, as well as out of money, since Sylvester had it all now. And with that, finally, they made peace. It may not be so easy in the technology or news world, but bringing down defenses is the first good step. |
SCHOOLinSITES If you're an educator, you may have heard of SCHOOLinSITES. Think it's just a shared web hosting company for schools? Think again! While they may have started with shared hosting way back in the 1990s, they've added new and exciting features to keep up with the times. Let's look at what SCHOOLinSITES offers to schools across the U.S. What Is SCHOOLinSITES? As more and more people are turning to the Internet before they pick up the phone, it has become essential for schools all across the U.S. to maintain an online presence. SCHOOLinSITES combines a multitude of products targeting schools and the districts they exist in. The goal: make it easier for schools to disseminate information online for parents and members of the community to access instantly. What, exactly, do they offer? Shared hosting of your school or district website. They provide well designed websites with an unlimited number of pages, which means the schools contained in your entire district can all be found in one place. This service grants you an unlimited number of users and storage, a content editor to embed code and post content and media simply, as well as calendars that can filter, integrate, and export events. Your entire school — all departments, sports and activities, arts, teachers, and clubs — can all have their own page! Graphic design services. As I mentioned above, you are provided with a well designed website. Did you know that your website is actually custom designed by SCHOOLinSITES's very own design team? They look at the needs of your district or school and tailor the site accordingly. Notifications. Users are able to opt-in to a notification service via your website, whether text or email. This way, when something important is happening within the school, the users won't need to head to the website to learn about it. They'll know about it when it happens! Training. SCHOOLinSITES has their own training program in order to teach staff the ins and outs of website use and maintenance. Not only that, they can custom-design a training program specifically for your staff! SCHOOLinSITES.tv. This is a video platform specific to your school. Only you and your staff are able to access it, and the content stored within it is entirely in your control. This way, you don't get questionable content into the classroom — just the channels and programs you want to see. There is a tool that tracks the number of views each channel receives, as well as which channel is most often watched within your school or district. DigiDrive. This is your school or district's own personal Google Docs! It's basically cloud hosting of all of your important documents, accessed only by your school. Enjoy drag-and-drop functionality, unlimited version history, built-in email, high speed uploads, and move multiple files at the same time. Does a team of teachers work together on the daily? No problem! They can collaborate easily using DigiDrive! There's no question: if your school doesn't have the budget to design and maintain its own website, SCHOOLinSITES is the answer. Does SCHOOLinSITES sound like a great idea for your school or district? Like this: Like Loading... |
In recent years, images of China often depict smog-filled cities and coal-fired power plants. It is true that a breakneck speed of development over more than three decades has led to a series of environmental challenges, with cities such as Beijing often subjected to pollution levels multiples higher than the recommended limit. Other environmental issues, including the effects of climate change, water pollution, high use of natural resources and the pollution of arable land, also pose challenges for the world’s most populous nation. In previous decades, the environment had been seen to take a back seat in Chinese policy-making in favour of the very real challenge of sustaining economic growth and raising living standards. However, the severe impact of air pollution on health and a global drive to fight climate change has seen China emerge as an international leader in the environmental space. Moreover, as others are progressively backing away from their leadership position, China has shown an increasing willingness to collaborate with the rest of the world in order to achieve climate goals. The World Economic Forum is now working with the Chinese government on these issues. At Davos this year, the Forum signed an MOU with the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) an organization which gives policy recommendations to China’s State Council. The collaboration will explore how circular and sharing economy models can create a more resource-efficient society in China, also focusing on other areas including oceans, the potential of new technologies for the environment, and climate change. (The "circular economy" refers to a shift from the linear model of making products then throwing them away, so that everything is designed to be recycled or re-used.) As is the nature of the Chinese system, direction and policy action starts at the top. At the 2017 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, president Xi Jinping signaled that China would stick with the multilateral process and others should also, saying “The Paris Agreement is a hard-won achievement... All signatories should stick to it instead of walking away from it, as this is a responsibility we must assume for future generations”. As the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gasses and the world’s second largest economy China’s newly accepted leadership sends a strong signal to the global community. Actions speak louder than words, and China has been pushing forward action on the ground to back up the words of the President. China has been shifting away from its reliance on coal, which according to government statistics accounted for 65% of its energy in 2015, a 3.7% drop from the previous year. This has been happening faster than expected: in 2016 China decided to stop building 103 coal-powered power plants that were in the construction or planning phase. As Nuer Bekri, the government official in charge of Chinese energy policy, said in Davos: “last year we canceled 7.2 million KW of coal energy, we are also suspending, cancelling and delaying coal generation… that approach will create a larger market space for other sources of energy.” He also noted a willingness to cooperate globally, saying: “we will have to enhance international collaboration in the energy field.” The government sets the direction, but implementation lies with the private sector. As Qiao Baoping, CEO of Guodian, China’s largest (and the world’s second largest) power generator, said in Davos: “Commitments are made by the Chinese government, but they are filled by Chinese businesses such as mine.” The company now has 16GW of hydro generation capacity and 25.7GW of wind power capacity, more than any other company globally, enough to power nearly 30 million US homes. According to UN Environment, in 2016 China increased investment in renewables (excluding hydro) by 17% to $102.9 billion, or 36% of total global investment. The country now possesses more than 25% of total global renewable power capacity. Winds of change: Turbines next to the Great Wall of China Image: REUTERS/Joel Boh Another important area for China is the use of raw materials. Throughout its decades of fast growth, China has imported vast amounts of raw materials, contributing to a global commodities boom. This has left a lot of room for improvements in resource efficiency: China uses around 2.5 kg of materials per dollar of economic growth compared with around half a kilo in OECD countries. The country has embraced the circular economy - a model in which nothing is wasted and all consumer and industrial outputs are re-used as valuable resources. In 2009, China became the first country to introduce a circular economy promotion law, to increase the re-use and recycling of materials. Businesses are also implementing this, as explained by Yu Xubo, CEO of COFCO - the country’s largest food manufacturing, trading and processing company. “We stick to a re-use and recycle model. Take hog farming for example, we use the bio-gas for energy and we use the bio-slurry [...] as organic fertilizer”. Models such as this can increase agricultural productivity in a country with 22% of the world’s population and only 7% of its arable land. The circular economy is also gaining traction in China’s many "circular industrial symbiosis parks," in which companies use the waste of other manufacturers as raw material inputs into their process. For example, in the Suzhou New District, circuit boards are crafted from copper off-cuts from other heavier industries. As China’s economy grows there is a strong policy push to move from an economy focused on investment in infrastructure and exports to one driven by domestic consumption. As China “rebalances” its economy, it will explore new models of consumption that can provide for its many consumers without destroying the environment. In recent years, technological and business model innovation has given rise to the sharing economy, which has become a strong force in China. The industry is thought to be worth $220 billion domestically and is predicted to grow at 40% per year, according to the State Information Agency in Beijing. It is thought that the sharing of goods, such as pooling taxi journeys, or sharing products and homes, could pave the way for a less resource-intensive form of consumption. Change of direction: Ride-sharing could cut congestion in China Image: REUTERS/Carlos Barria (CHINA - Tags: TRANSPORT SOCIETY) - RTR3B827 A World Economic Forum study in collaboration with MIT found that home-sharing could have the potential to provide extra capacity without building hotels, especially around large events when cities experience a surge in visitors. Using Airbnb data from the Rio Olympics it was found that home sharing created the equivalent of 257 average-sized hotels during the Games. Similarly, China’s largest ride hailing company, Didi, matches riders going in the same direction. In 2015 it pooled an average of 1.5 million rides a day, saving 510 million litres of fuel. |
“14-year-old sent to interview migrants in the street”, denounces a mother. “A teacher gives a homework assignment: stop migrants in the street and ask about their personal story, and the case explodes immediately on social networks. The school in question is an institution in Borgo San Sergio and Deborah Carli, mother of one of the pupils, wrote a post on the Facebook group “Trieste #sepolfar”, asking the moderator and local councillor “Does this seem normal to you? We are talking about 13-14 year-old kids! One of them told the teacher that the immigrant insulted him and he had to run away.” … Deborah Carli, the author of the post and president of the association Tiaiutiamonoi Trieste Onlus, insists that the teacher in question “is exerting political pressure, definitely of the Left, instead of giving them the instruments to form their own opinions. He said my daughter was a racist just because she allowed herself to say that not all migrants are poor people fleeing wars, sociable, nice people, and so on, he assigned the homework without we the parents having been officially informed or having authorised any such thing.” |
A puppy stolen from a family's backyard in South Austin has been found. A woman has been arrested on an unrelated warrant. (Photo: CBS Austin) A puppy stolen from a South Austin home on Tuesday has been found and returned to its family with the help of social media and CBS Austin reporter Raven Ambers. "I'm speechless," said Karl Kupecz, just moments after he was reunited with his 5-month-old puppy, bear. "My daughter is going to be ecstatic when she sees him. We totally didn't expect this." A thief took the dog from their South Austin backyard around 7 p.m., Tuesday, after Kupecz left the house to grab a bite to eat. "We have a security camera system and reviewed it and saw a lady brazenly, in broad daylight, unlatch it and take the dog away," Kupecz said. So Wednesday morning, the news got around to friends, neighbors, and CBS Austin, on social media. "Basically through all the posts and everything, our community just started rallying and reposting," said Kupecz's wife, Nicki Kupecz. Soon, they got a tip the suspected thief was seen in the neighborhood Wednesday morning in the same clothes as shown in the video. On our way to interview the Kupecz family, we saw the woman matching the suspect description on a bike. She took off after we noticed her. Kupecz called police, and then we chased after her. "This drives home that at any point, life can change quickly. Thank goodness it wasn't our daughter," Karl said. Police caught up with the suspect and arrested her for an outstanding warrant. Minutes later, police found the dog, which had been ditched in a backyard near an alley blocks from the Kupecz's home. "I'm floored," Kupecz said. "I thought we were never going to see him again." Kupecz told CBS Austin he was "prepared for the worst case scenario." |
Timecrimes (Spanish: Los Cronocrímenes) is a 2007 Spanish science-fiction thriller film written by, directed by, and starring Nacho Vigalondo. The film stars Karra Elejalde as Héctor, a man who becomes part of a time loop and must stop his other selves from continuing to exist. The film premiered at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas in September 2007. Plot [ edit ] In the Spanish countryside, a middle-aged man named Héctor (Karra Elejalde) and his wife Clara (Candela Fernández) live in a home that they are renovating. Héctor scans the forest behind their house with binoculars and sees a young woman take off her T-shirt, exposing her breasts. When his wife goes shopping, he investigates and finds the woman on the ground, naked and unconscious. He is then stabbed in the arm by a mysterious man with pink bandages on his face. Fleeing and breaking into a mysterious nearby building, Héctor contacts a scientist (Nacho Vigalondo) by walkie-talkie, who warns him of the bandaged man and guides him to his location, promising safety. The scientist convinces Héctor to hide from the bandaged man, who is just outside, in a large mechanical device. However, when he leaves the machine, Héctor discovers that he has traveled approximately an hour back in time. The scientist explains that the machine is an experimental time travel device, and refers to Héctor as "Héctor 2". The scientist tells him that they need to stay where they are and let events unfold. Despite the scientist's warning, Héctor 2 drives off in a car, passing a cyclist, only to be run off the road by a van, cutting his head, which he wraps using the bandage from his arm wound. The bandage turns pink from absorbing the blood. The cyclist approaches to see if he is all right - it is the woman he earlier saw in the forest. He proceeds to replicate events by making her undress in view of Héctor 1. When she runs away, he catches her, inadvertently knocking her out. He lays her out naked on the ground and then stabs Hector 1 in the arm when he arrives. The woman escapes. Héctor 2 returns to his home, where he hears a scream and chases a woman through his house and onto the roof. When he attempts to grab her, she slips and falls to her death. Seeing the body from the roof, Héctor 2 is horrified, believing he has killed his own wife. Héctor then contacts the scientist over a walkie-talkie and convinces him to lure Héctor's past self to the lab with warnings that he is being pursued. Driving to the lab, Héctor 2 insists that he must travel back one more time, despite the scientist revealing that there is a Héctor 3, who told him he must stop Héctor 2 from doing just that. After removing his bandages, Héctor 2 convinces the scientist to send him back several seconds before he initially appears. He finds a van and runs Héctor 2 off the road, but crashes as well, knocking himself out. Upon waking, he informs the scientist he has failed and to stop Héctor 2 by any means. He encounters the woman again, startling her into screaming, though she does not recognize him as her assailant. Since Héctor 2 has heard her scream, Héctor 3 and the woman flee to Héctor's house. They become separated. Héctor 3 finds and hides his wife, then realizes what has to happen / will happen / has already happened. He finds the woman, cuts her ponytail off, gives her his wife's coat, and tells her to hide upstairs. Héctor 2 chases her onto the roof. Héctor 3 sits on his lawn with his wife, as Héctor 2 accidentally kills the woman, then drives off. Emergency vehicles are heard approaching in the distance. Cast [ edit ] Karra Elejalde as Héctor Candela Fernández as Clara Barbara Goenaga as the woman in the forest Nacho Vigalondo as the scientist Juan Inciarte as Occasional Héctor Inspiration [ edit ] In the documentary Future Shock! The Story of 2000 AD Nacho Vigalondo credits 2000 AD comic magazine as the biggest influence on Timecrimes, particularly the Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons one-off "Chronocops" from #310 (1983).[3] Music [ edit ] The film's score was composed by Eugenio Mira. The film also uses the song "Picture This" by the American rock band Blondie, which director Vigalondo has stated he chose because he "love[s] the arrangement of the song and the chords. It's a happy song, but it's very sad and it's close to the movie".[4] Reception [ edit ] Critical response [ edit ] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 87% based on 70 reviews, with a weighted average rating of 7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Timecrimes is a low-budget thriller that's well-crafted and loaded with dark humor and bizarre twists."[5] The film also has a score of 68 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 15 critics indicating "generally favorable reviews."[6] Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times noted the role of female frontal nudity and fast-paced action in making a time-travel film with no special effects. She praised writer/director Nacho Vigalondo's "audacity" in being able to create "urgency and disorientation from the thinnest of air" despite the film's low budget and lack of special effects.[7] Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe doubted whether Timecrimes actually makes sense but credited Vigalondo with making clever use of the time machine in order to allay the viewer's skepticism. Referring to the planned remake by director David Cronenberg, and alluding to Héctor's "human sequels", Morris concluded that Timecrimes "deserves a doppelganger".[8] In retrospective, A. A. Dowd of The A.V. Club interprets the film as an allegory about adultery, comparing Héctor's increasingly complex and confusing actions to those of someone lying to hide an affair.[9] Accolades [ edit ] Best Picture at 2007 Fantastic Fest (USA) Gold Medal of Jury Award Competition in 2007 Fantastic Fest (USA) Silver Medal of Audience Award Competition in 2007 Fantastic Fest (USA) Asteroide Award for Best International Sci-fi Feature Film at 2007 Trieste Science+Fiction Festival (Italy) Remake [ edit ] An English language remake was originally planned to happen with United Artists. However, the project never came into fruition and hit a deadline with no product. In 2011, the project was moved to DreamWorks with Steve Zaillian planned to write and produce.[10][11] See also [ edit ] |
Arrow S3x01 “The Calm” Share: WARNING! MAJOR SPOILERS! Okay, raise a hand if you didn’t see that ending coming? I’ll get to it in more detail, but wow. Arrow has proved to be capable of many twists in the past and that was just totally unpredictable and reinforced the element that nobody is safe. It was a major death sequence that was handled very well with a great shock impact. But first, let’s deal with the new cast additions, of which there were a lot to a series that’s already pretty packed. We got the new Count Vertigo, Peter Stormare, who is already a more preferable option to Seth Gabel’s Count, being his own character as opposed to just a Heath Ledger ripoff. He puts some fun charisma into the role with a much stronger casting choice. And he’s made even more terrifying by the manipulation of the Vertigo drug to show victims their worst fear, which adds another interesting layer of unpredictability that’s handled well by the writers and it was cool to see the Arrow fight off against his own fear, which was essentially becoming Oliver Queen. The most significant newcomer to the series however was Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer. Like Stormare, he puts a lot of effort into his role with some great chemistry and as he poses a business rival for Oliver it’s clear to see that he almost looks like the Sebastian Blood of this season, someone who Oliver will have to tackle outside of the costume. The high stakes premiere saw Palmer win over the Queen Consolidated Board, and there’s even a fun reference to “Star City”, the home of Oliver in the comics, which is what Starling could become. Arrow proves that it can balance tragedy and the more light hearted elements well in this series with an excellent display. The majority of the episode features the team working together, Diggle, Roy (whose superhero identity is presumably Arsenal), Felicity and Oliver showcasing them at their very best, with an excellent display of them working together as a team. They believe they have the criminals on the run, until the emergence of a new Vertigo threatens to undo the balance of the relative peace brought to Starling City. With any episode of Arrow, it’s important not to ignore the flashbacks. After two seasons on the Island a change in tone was needed, and it’s great to see more Amanda Waller showing that we may not quite be done with ARGUS just yet, be it in the past or present. The divergence to Hong Kong was handled very well and it was just the right change at the right time, exploiting a great new dynamic with several directions to go from here. Now I think we can get to the ending. With the addition of Arsenal and the already packed cast, it’s quickly become apparent that the return of Sara felt unnecessary, but welcomed, given that her character is a personal favourite of mine from this series. As a result, I was annoyed to see her killed off so quickly, but the way it was done was handled pretty well indeed. The major cliffhanger ending will no doubt set the tone for the next few episodes and it proves that the series is going to pull out all the stops in creating something that becomes more and more unpredictable as the show progresses, especially with the fact that Malcolm Merlyn and Ra’s Al Ghul are out there in the shadows, waiting to strike. There wasn’t really anything too negative about this episode as it balanced the light hearted stuff with the darker elements very well, even featuring a surprise cameo from Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen, to let viewers know where The Flash’s timeline fits in with Arrow. Going forward, it’ll be interesting to see how both series develop, and with an upcoming crossover featuring both characters quite early on, things could get pretty interesting indeed. In conclusion then, The Calm was an excellent premiere that shows Arrow has continued the form that it’s been in since pretty much the latter stages of season one, demonstrating a great level of consistency. There should be plenty of more awesome stuff on the horizon and next week can’t come quickly enough. |
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WASHINGTON — Vector Space Systems said Nov. 18 that it has raised $1.25 million in funding to support development of its small launch vehicle, with a goal of a first launch by the end of next year. The seed investment into the Tucson, Arizona-based company is led by Space Angels Network, a group of individual angel investors that make early-stage investments in space companies. While Space Angels Network has invested in a number of space startups, including Astrobotic Technology, Planetary Resources, and World View Enterprises, this is its first investment in a launch company. “We see endless opportunity in Vector’s vision to build affordable and reliable launch vehicles for microsatellites and are committed to working with them to make that vision a reality,” Chad Anderson, chief executive of Space Angels Network, said in a statement. The new round brings the total raised by the company to $2.25 million. The company also has Small Business Innovation Research contracts from NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency valued at an additional $2.5 million to work on vehicle technologies. “We are honored by the continued support of our existing angel investors and by this new infusion of capital from Space Angels Network,” Jim Cantrell, chief executive and co-founder of Vector Space, said in a statement. “This investment, by experienced space industry investors, helps to further validate the market and demand for a dedicated micro satellite launch vehicle.” Cantrell said Vector Space plans to follow up this seed investment with a larger Series A round it expects to close in early 2017. The company declined to say how large the Series A round would be, but a company spokesperson said it would be enough to fund the company through the first launch of its Vector-R rocket, planned before the end of 2017. The Vector-R is designed to place payloads weighing up to 60 kilograms into low Earth orbit. It’s one of a number of vehicles under development to serve a growing small satellite market that currently relies primarily on launches as secondary payloads on larger vehicles. “Rideshare works. It’s helped the industry grow, so it’s not a bad thing,” Cantrell said during a panel Nov. 16 at the Spacecom conference in Houston. “But what we’re starting to see as the numbers of small satellites proliferate is a demand for tailored services.” |
July 4th has always been an important date in pro wrestling and its fans. These are just a few things that made history in Pro Wrestling on July 4th. The WarGames match was a gimmick match used originally in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and later held annually in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), usually at their Fall Brawl pay-per-view event in September. The match usually involved two teams of four wrestlers locked inside a steel cage that encompassed two rings. The first War Games match took place on July 4, 1987, when the Road Warriors (Road Warrior Hawk and Road Warrior Animal), Nikita Koloff, Dusty Rhodes, and Paul Ellering defeated The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger, Tully Blanchard, and James J. Dillon) at 22:10 when the Road Warriors forced Dillon to submit after a Doomsday Device where he landed awkwardly on his right arm. In mid-1993, after Hulk Hogan’s departure from the company, Luger was transformed from a heel to a “mega-face” with the nicknames “Made in the USA” and “The All-American”. On July 4, he took part in a memorable event where he arrived (by a red helicopter) on the deck of the USS Intrepid and body slammed the near 600 pound WWF Champion Yokozuna after a number of other athletes, both inside the WWF and out, attempted and failed. Following this he began the “Lex Express” tour, traveling the country in a Red, White, and Blue painted bus to greet fans and to “campaign” for a shot at the WWF Title, thus beginning a feud with the champion Yokozuna. Luger got his shot at SummerSlam 1993. On the July 4, 2002 edition of SmackDown!, Hulk Hogan teamed with Edge to defeat Billy and Chuck and capture the WWE World Tag Team Championship for the first time. They celebrated by waving the American flag as the overjoyed audience sang along to Hogan’s theme song “Real American. The Great American Bash ppv always had a july 4th theme to it also. July 4th and pro wrestling has always gone together great and they have had been some awesome shows and ppv’s on the 4th of July. Happy 4th of July to all our fans in the United States. Feel Free to leave your comments below and to follow me on twitter @TNAWWEGUY. You can follow the site while you are at it @lastwordonsport. Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? If so, check out our “Join Our Team” page to find out how. |
----- | <- || part one || -> | .:: tl notes/comments "a shop‐boy near a temple will recite the scriptures untaught" (門前の小僧習わぬ経を読む) basically "learning something by watching (without being taught)", there are quite a few variations of the original quote translated but they all mean the same thing! Don't cry, Hakaze-senpai. You are a man.I'll cry~ I really will~....? Uu, guu...! You understand my feelings, don't you, Adonis-kun!?Yes, I see that handprint on your cheek. It seems like you received a full force smack with an open palm.It must have hurt. How pitiable.If somebody punches you with a "pow!", it will bounce back as long as you've trained your muscles.However, if somebody slaps you with a "wham!", severe pain will spread through the nerves of the surface of your skin...You can't mitigate that pain. Even a full grown man will cry.That is the reason why whipping has become a suitable punishment in any country.In that case, I'd have rather gotten whipped! At least there's love!That way I could've thought of it as some kind of extreme play! But there wasn't any love, so it just hurt a lot!There's no point in complaining. Unless you tell me the full extend of the story, it sounds like it is your fault for angering your opponent.It's not like you at all... You conduct yourself skillfully and evasively no matter who it is.To think you could have angered somebody to the point of violence and hatred...Uuu, it's not like I wanted to get hated, but I couldn't help it.Among all the girls who gave me Valentine's Day chocolate, there were quite a few who were actually pretty serious about it.It's not like it's a bad feeling, being loved and all, but I know it wasn't great of me to give them any expectations.I mean, I like being pampered by girls!But any more than that is a little impossible, I think. I know it's selfish, but I just did my best to choose some words and say good bye.So recently, I've been telling them carefully, one by one.But from the point of view of the girl, it'd seem pretty abrupt, you know?The girls themselves understood, but I think their friends got into some kind of misunderstanding."A playboy toyed with her feelings and threw her away~" was probably what they thought. They were wrong, I mean, but that friend hit me hard.But it's fine, I can quietly accept a punishment like this. It's all my fault for being so careless in the first place.Don't blame yourself too much, Hakaze-senpai. However, I've noticed that you have been sorting out your relationships with others lately... why is that?Have you finally decided to take things seriously?You have always been reprimanded by Sakuma-senpai. "Kaoru-kun, don't get too carried away with your womanly affairs~" and such.Ahaha, you're pretty good at imitating Sakuma-san, Adonis-kun~....♪Thank you. We have been doing unit activities with each other for quite a long time now, after all. It seems I've ended up remembering his speech patterns."A shop‐boy near a temple will recite the scriptures untaught", is what they say.More importantly, your body will chill if you keep crouching in the hallway like that. Let's go somewhere else — I will listen to all of your complaints.If your cheek hurts so much that you can't move, shall I carry you to the infirmary?It's alright... [sniff] My heart hurts more than my slapped cheek! Comfort me~ Let me sit on your lap and pat me on the head!It's usually super gross to be hugged by a guy, but I can endure that for the moment!That's a big thing for you to say, Hakaze-senpai. Oh, I lost track for a moment, but...Why are you sorting out your relationships now, after all this time? Are you going to drown yourself?Of course not~ Although if I'm going to die, I wouldn't mind it happening in the ocean. Mm~... it's a little embarrassing, so I don't really wanna say it.You really are selfish. What a troublesome senior.Don't screw with me....!?Eek, I'm sorry!?Hakaze-senpai, hide behind me. I will protect the weak.Wait, no, nowjust pathetic... Uh, that was Kouga-kun just now, right? What is that kid uselessly barking about this time?Hm. It sounds like the origin of the noise came from the light club music room.Mmm~... the distance isn't so far that I can't see, but my view is being obstructed. Let's see what's going on, Hakaze-senpai.I'm curious and worried. It's the first time I've heard Oogami make such a heartbreaking voice.Heartbreaking? You think so? It's the same old voice to me~... Is the doggie going into labour or something~?It's faint, but I can hear Sakuma-senpai's voice too. It seems like they're having an argument.Both your eyes and ears are way too good, Adonis-kun. Hm~... those two fighting isn't anything new, but I have a bad feeling.I don't know what's going on, but please spare me from any big trouble...I was thinking I could end my high school life with a happy ending too. |
A young seal pup decided to take a nap under a car in the Wellington Police Maritime Unit car park. A baby seal is in police custody after being caught loitering under a car outside the barracks. Senior Sergeant Dave Houston said a passerby spotted a little trespasser's face poking out from underneath a car at the Wellington Maritime Police Unit at Queens Wharf on Friday afternoon. "We went to see and he was under the car – he's a little fella." MIKE PRYCE A seal entertains police officers at Wellington's Queen's wharf. When the car's owner returned, he looked bemused to find police surrounding his car, poking a broom underneath it, Houston said. READ MORE: * Baby rhino named after home * Stray kitten charms suburb * Kidnapped gnome on world adventure 1 of 3 NZ POLICE Steve just wants his mother. 2 of 3 MIKE PRYCE The suspect's getting away! 3 of 3 NZ POLICE He's in the bag and understood to be facing charges of trespassing while cute. "We asked him if it was his seal. He said it wasn't." The pup was lucky someone had spotted him, Houston said, as the driver was unlikely to have seen him: "He could have been squashed." It had been seen sitting alone on the rocks near the barracks in recent days, Houston said. NZ POLICE Snapped: loitering outside a police station. The police looked after the seal, which they named Steve, until the Department of Conservation (DOC) arrived. Houston was unsure about patting him: "He is a little bit bitey." When DOC staff arrived, they told the officers the seal was about the age at which mothers set pups free to explore alone, and they tended to get a bit tired, Houston said. DOC planned to take the seal to the south coast and release it. |
Seinfeld fans know that you can’t have Jerry without George. But George wasn’t always going to be played by Jason Alexander. When Alexander recently stopped by the Howard Stern Show, he and Stern talked about the many other actors who were reportedly up for the part, including Larry Miller, Brad Hall, David Alan Grier, Nathan Lane, Steve Buscemi, Paul Shaffer, Danny DeVito, and Chris Rock. In fact, Alexander remembers that DeVito was offered the role—but turned it down. So why did Alexander walk away the victor? Alexander thinks it had everything to do with the fact that he thought the script sounded like a Woody Allen movie, and as a result, he auditioned with his best Woody Allen impression. The lesson? Sometimes, stuttering is the answer. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/208616041" params="visual=true&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /] |
The Obama administration is determined to link the Times Square Fizzler, Faisal Shahzad, to the Pakistani Taliban, and isn’t about to let logic, reality, or anything remotely related to the facts get in its way. With the complicity of the Obama-stricken media, they just might get away with it, opening the way for expanded military operations in Pakistan, in “retaliation” for an attack that never even happened. Attorney General Holder did the talking heads circuit this Sunday, no doubt for the explicit purpose of launching this trial balloon, and he had plenty of help from – for example – Jake Tapper, formerly of Salon, the pro-Obama liberal news site, and currently George Stephanopoulos’ replacement on “This Week.” Asked by Tapper what’s new with the Shahzad investigation, Holder replied: “Well, we’ve now developed evidence that shows that the Pakistani Taliban was behind the attack. We know that they helped facilitate it. We know that they probably helped finance it and that he was working at their direction.” Pretty incendiary stuff, if true: but where’s the proof? What’s the evidence? One would think the normally inquisitive Tapper would at least make a perfunctory effort to get the facts, but no, he just goes with the flow: “Is there any evidence that there’s a cell that Shahzad was working with in the United States? Or was it just him operating from directions from Pakistan?” Holder’s assumption — that it was all a plot hatched in Pakistan – is accepted at face value, without question, and it’s on to the implications. This is what “liberals” like Tapper and the Salon crowd have learned, after eight years of the Bush administration’s lies, and the entire Iraq fiasco – nothing. They think because their guys are in power that it’s okay, that we can give them a blank check and they won’t walk away with the family jewels. This isn’t mere naivete. It’s collaboration. Tapper might have asked about the statement of Gen. David Petraeus – who surely has some good connections to US intelligence – to the effect that Shahzad acted as a “lone wolf.” He might have asked about the possibility that the Fizzler acted out of anger at his apparently desperate financial situation, or some problem in his personal life – but no. Instead, Tapper cut to video of Hillary Clinton threatening Pakistan: “We want more. We expect more. We’ve made it very clear that if, heaven forbid, an attack like this that we can trace back to Pakistan were to have been successful, there would be very severe consequences.” Remember how Bush administration officials used to go on the talk shows and rant about Saddam’s “weapons of mass destruction” – effectively using the “mainstream” media as a sounding board for their lies masquerading as “intelligence”? Well, as Yogi Berra would say, “It’s déjà vu all over again!” I’m saying it’s a lie because Holder offered no actual evidence, and because everything we now know points away from the administration’s conspiracy theory, namely: The ineptness of the “bomb,” which was just a collection of propane tanks, the wrong kind of fertilizer, cheap alarm clocks, and firecrackers. The Pakistani Taliban sure knows how to make a bomb: if they “trained” and “directed” Shahzad, one would think he might have made a better job of it. The failure of the Taliban to take “credit” for the attack. One could argue they were so embarrassed by the Fizzler’s ineptitude that they didn’t want to be associated with it, or him. However, one has to assume our declared enemies – if they managed to get as close to us as Times Square – would be boasting about it, rather than saying, as the Pakistani Taliban did, that while they admired what Shahzad did, or tried to do, they had no hand in training or directing him. Signs that Shahzad experienced severe financial and personal problems in the period leading up the Times Square incident. His house had been foreclosed, his bank was suing him, and he was reportedly having problems with his wife – who went abroad before the incident, taking their two children with her. All of this underscores the high probability that he simply went ballistic, as I argued here. Shahzad insists he acted alone. If he is, in fact, a dedicated Taliban operative, acting at the behest and under the control of the leadership, then surely he wouldn’t hesitate to say so. He’s a fanatical anti-American terrorist, right – so why wouldn’t he use his new-found notoriety to broadcast the Taliban’s message and advertise its reach? The alleged Taliban connection just doesn’t comport with the known facts. Via “leaks” coming out of the administration, we hear Shahzad claims to have met top Taliban leaders, but as Robin Wright, of the US Institute of Peace (a government agency) said on Tapper’s show: “Well, apparently, he’s singing like a bird, I was told last night. But there are also a lot of tall tales that he’s telling, and they have to keep going back to him over and over and over because a lot of it’s not making sense.” Of course it’s not making sense: crazy people are funny like that. Here’s what I think: a deranged individual, who couldn’t put together a car-bomb if his life depended on it, sought to make his increasingly meaningless and unpleasant existence count for something – and he wound up being the equivalent of the Maine. Remember the Maine? It was a US ship parked in Havana harbor that suddenly blew up – and the incident was blown up into a convenient casus belli by a US government (and media establishment) eager for war with Spain. Years from now, if we go into Pakistan with “boots on the ground,” as some are suggesting, in “retaliation” for this “attack” by the Taliban, Shahzad will go down in history as the nutjob who started a major war. How fitting for a nation that has itself gone crazy – a nation whose elites are now considering abolishing the last of our civil liberties on account of this failed act of mental aberration and alienation. Imagine if Richard Nixon or anyone in his administration had suggested abolishing or even “modifying” Miranda rights when that Weatherman bomb-making factory exploded by accident all those years ago in Manhattan. The ensuing uproar would have deafened the gods on Olympus. Yet Holder suggested the administration is taking this very course – and nary a peep of protest, or even surprise, out of Jake “the Stenographer” Tapper. Go back to Salon, you hack! NOTES IN THE MARGIN Today is the first day of our spring fundraising drive, and I just want to point out that we are practically the only major media outlet questioning the Taliban-did-it narrative being put out by the Obama administration. It’s incredible to me that we may actually make a major move into Pakistan based on such a flimsy and utterly unconvincing pretext. Even more incredible is the fact that the American media seems to be going along with it – exactly as they did when George W. Bush told us about those nasty “weapons of mass destruction” just waiting to be launched by Iraq. The only difference being that the Bushies were much better liars – this crowd doesn’t seem to care much about the quality of the “evidence” they present. Indeed, as seen above, they don’t even bother with evidence – nor are they asked for any, either by the Jake Tappers of this world or by anyone in Congress (Ron Paul, of course, is the exception). And of course the “opposition” party is even more eager than the Obamaites to go barreling into Pakistan, and we can safely predict they’ll never question the rationale for “Shahzad’s war” in the slightest, except to criticize the President for not having launched it sooner. That’s why you need to make your donation – today, right now: because we’re the only ones standing up to challenge these transparent lies. Are we really going to invade Pakistan – a nuclear-armed nation teeming with rising hatred of the US government – on the basis of a madman’s tall tales? It can’t happen; it must not happen. They can’t get away with it – not this time. You can help make sure they don’t get away with it by contributing to Antiwar.com. Help us get past the “mainstream” pro-war pro-administration media, and get out the truth. And the best way you can do that right now is to make a donation – it’s 100% tax-deductible, and it’s much-needed. We depend on you, our readers and supporters, to keep us going. We aren’t asking for much: there’s no executive-type salaries, and certainly no perks, around Antiwar.com’s virtual “office.” It’s bare bones and nose-to-the-grindstone. Now, if you’ll pardon me, I have to get back to my grindstone, but before I go, let me say in parting: give as much as you can as soon as you can. Contribute today. Read more by Justin Raimondo |
When the frenzy of free agency began at 4 pm EST on Tuesday, NFL fans waited anxiously to learn of quarterback's Peyton Manning's next destination. But as the day progressed, the only news to report was speculation that Denver was the newest front-runner for Manning's services. If the rumor proves to be true, current Broncos' starter Tim Tebow will not be jumping for joy. Competitors for Manning must not be too excited either, after some of their most clever proposals fizzled out. According to NFL Network, wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Reggie Wayne have come to terms on new contracts and will not be part of a package deal with their former Indianapolis teammate. Garcon signed with the Washington Redskins and Wayne re-signed to stay in Indy. So, as of late Tuesday, Arizona remained in the running for Manning, Tennessee made plans to meet with him on Wednesday, and Miami began to slip, after trading away star receiver Brandon Marshall to Chicago. That leaves Denver, as an intriguing option for the future Hall of Famer. If Manning chooses the Mile High City, Tebow's days under center with the Broncos will come to an immediate halt and questions about his future with the organization will run rampant. So, what are the chances that the Buffalo Bills will consider Tebow, whom they reportedly coveted in the 2010 draft? And would they have an interest in signing Tebow to a long-term deal, if he becomes available or is released? A surprise acquisition of Tebow is conceivable because the Bills may not be enamored with Tyler Thigpen as the backup to starter Ryan Fitzpatrick. Denver also could choose to re-sign unrestricted free agent Brady Quinn as a backup to Manning. Quinn's chances of returning are not very good right now because he has never started a game in two years in Denver. He also drew negative headlines in February, when he made harsh comments about Tebow in an interview with GQ magazine. Listed below are the reasons why the Bills could make a play on Tebow, as well as arguments against such a move, if the former Heisman Trophy winner becomes available. Tebow to Buffalo? It could happen for a franchise that could use a "double boost" in publicity and ticket sales. Many fans questioned the timing of the the Bills new deal last year with Fitzpatrick. The Harvard grad is popular with head coach Chan Gailey, who likes his intelligence and moxie. But in the NFL, truth is in numbers, and Fitzpatrick did not deliver them after cashing in on a six-year, $59 million contract to remain Buffalo's starter. After starting 2011 at 5-2, the Bills collapsed in the season's second half, with just one win in the last nine games. Fitzpatrick sustained a bruised sternum and cracked ribs in a shutout win over Washington, but his career record as a starter in Buffalo, Cincinnati and St. Louis is just 18-31-1. Fourteen of those wins have come with the Bills, but the sixth-year veteran has been on the losing end of 23 other starts as Buffalo's field general. The Bills could actually allow Fitzpatrick to become an unrestricted free agent if they do not pay him a $5 million bonus by March 19. But if Denver lands Manning and Tebow becomes available, Buffalo could keep Fitzpatrick, make the move and let Tebow serve as his understudy. Former Bills star Jim Kelly, who is considered by most to be the team's last true franchise quarterback, could be a proponent for Tebow. Before the draft two years ago, the Hall of Famer dined with the Florida quarterback and urged the club to select Tebow. Kelly spent is college career in Florida too, at the University of Miami. Buffalo's fan base was at odds over Tebow in 2010, but there is little doubt that he brings excitement and intrigue to every place he plays. Tebow is a winner and that cannot be denied. He helped lead the Gators to two National Championships and stunned the NFL the past two seasons, with six fourth quarter comebacks and seven game-winning drives. Perhaps his most memorable pass came on the first play of overtime in last year's AFC Wild-Card Game against Pittsburgh. At home, in front of a national television audience, Tebow threw an 80-yard touchdown strike to Demaryius Thomas to eliminate the mighty Steelers. Tebow's leadership, athleticism and drive are his best assets and they would fit in well in a blue-collared city like Buffalo. Kelly was often praised for being "a quarterback who played with the mentality of a linebacker." Tebow would certainly bring a similar attitude and head coach Chan Gailey would benefit from his unique skills. Gailey is most famous for creating the phenom known as "Slash," when he served as offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh in the 1990's. Quarterback Kordell Stewart took on the role at the time and played spectacularly, as a running and passing threat. Tebow certainly would make sense for Buffalo as a back-up and possibly a long-term starter. But there are many reasons for the Bills to pass on him, if Denver makes him expendable. First and foremost, Buffalo never seriously wanted Tebow in 2010, despite numerous reports on the contrary. In a post-draft interview with Bills lead journalist Chris Brown, general manager Buddy Nix clearly stated that fact at approximately 1:05 into the video. Denver of course, traded up into the first round to select the mobile quarterback. Although he won in Denver, Tebow achieved most of it in a wildcat, option-style offense. Tebow is simply not accurate enough and does not possess a strong enough arm to be successful in a cold and windy environment. In Buffalo, Fitzpatrick's arm strength is average, but he has proven that he can make the quick, accurate throws that are a necessity in Gailey's spread offense. The elements in upstate New York are similar to those in Colorado and would be a detriment to Tebow, whose arm strength and precision are clearly below average among NFL quarterbacks. Other teams that could have an interest in Tebow include Cleveland, Seattle and Jacksonville, who may not be sold on last year's first-round pick Blaine Gabbert. Even the Dallas Cowboys could consider Tebow as a backup to Tony Romo. At the very least, it would serve as a big media splash for owner Jerry Jones. Finally, there is a chance that Tebow would simply remain in Denver and learn behind one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Like Tebow, Peyton Manning is well known for his penchant for working out and being meticulous in those workouts. His superior mechanics and ability to read defenses would be things that Tebow could soak in and improve upon, as he continues to develop. And let's not forget the wisdom of another NFL Hall of Famer, who is also in the conversation for greatest quarterback of all time. As the Broncos Executive Vice President of Football Operations, John Elway has gone on record to say that Tebow is willing to do the work to be a successful NFL quarterback. Many media observers believe that Elway has never envisioned Tebow as Denver's long-term answer, but he has never indicated that he is not willing to give the young quarterback a shot. Tebow's best chance at future success may not come from being another team's savior. Instead, his odds would increase by staying right where he is. Aaron Rodgers patiently did it in Green Bay, behind the legendary Brett Favre, and Tebow could do the same, if Denver pulls the trigger on Manning. Tim Tebow has always been a student of the game. He may just have the good fortune of continuing the learning process, with the NFL's all-time best by his side. Joe Versage is a NFL Correspondent at Bleacher Report. He previously covered the Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens as a television beat reporter. Follow him on Twitter at: @dcjoev. |
Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks on Oct. 9, 2014, in Hawthorne, California. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images This question originally appeared on Quora, the best answer to any question. Ask a question, get a great answer. Learn from experts and access insider knowledge. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus. Answer by Danielle Fong, the girl from the future, co-founder and chief science officer of LightSail Energy: Elon Musk’s “first principles thinking” is a lot of hard work, but it is critical for invention, innovation, and true understanding in a wide variety of fields—almost anything complex or where there isn’t a simplified representation of facts that captures most important knowledge. Reasoning by analogy is relatively quick, so it provides easy returns if others have already explored or tested a topic. That’s why it’s so tempting. But the problem is that when reasoning by analogy fails, it is extremely hard to figure out why or to fix it. Often times you won’t even notice until it’s too late. Reasoning by first principles builds up knowledge from basics. You then have a robust set of connections in your knowledge, all the way up from the most well-tested general facts to the particular hypotheses guiding your invention or your strategy. (If you’re especially good, you’ll have a variety of different perspectives—multiple representations of knowledge that allow you to navigate the complexities of doing something truly new as you discover more challenges and more opportunities.) A powerful metaphor that Musk suggests for learning is to view knowledge like a semantic tree: “It is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree,” he said. “Make sure you understand the fundamental principles, ie the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to.” That was in reference to as question asking: How do you learn so much so fast? Lots of people read books and talk to other smart people, but you’ve taken it to a whole new level. But it’s probably even more important when growing the tree of knowledge. When working to make or discover something new, you have to get very many things eventually right. Reasoning by analogy is far too fragile and failure-prone for this. You have to dig into the details and really understand—mastery of first principles is almost a necessary precondition for invention and discovery, unless you aim to tinker and get very very lucky. More questions on Quora: |
Copyright by WIVB - All rights reserved BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - If you don't have an Enhanced Driver's License or passport, and plan to travel by air next year later, you will have to get one of those documents before you can take off. It's all about Homeland Security, and New York's standard driver's license might not cut it, when those new regulations take effect. The law known as the REAL ID Act is designed to protect federal facilities from terrorist attacks, and it narrows acceptable forms of identification down to those with security features like the safeguards in your passport. REAL ID became law in 2005, but its provisions have been phased in over a 10-year period. For the rest of 2015, you can still use your driver's license as identification on flights within the United States, but sometime next year, Homeland Security is set to change that, and will require enhanced ID on all commercial flights--foreign and domestic. Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs points out, the state spent an additional $38 million, two years ago, to upgrade driver's license security features, which seem to be coming up short. "Their rationale for it," said Jacobs, "was because they needed to be compliant with the REAL ID Act, the federal act that is coming in to force. Now we are finding that the new driver's license is not compliant, so you can't use it, and you will still have to pay for an Enhanced Driver's License." Jacobs said county clerks across the state are sounding the alarm, advising New Yorkers to upgrade their driver's licenses, when they renew them, to Enhanced Driver's Licenses. "Pay a little bit more money to upgrade to an Enhanced Driver's License and you can use that for domestic travel by air." A spokesman for the State Department of Motor Vehicles said, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security still has not set a firm date for enforcing the new tighter regulations, and has been assured by DHS they will get ample prior notification so New Yorkers don't get blindsided. Before that starting next month, certain federal facilities will also require the more secure forms of identification for admitting visitors. Homeland Security has issued a list of frequently asked questions regarding the REAL ID Act of 2005, and you can see the FAQ's here. |
740,000-year-old ice wedge is the oldest known ice in North America Tue, 01 Jan 2008 ANI London, September 19 (ANI): A new study has determined that a 740,000-year-old wedge of ice discovered in central Yukon Territory, Canada, is the oldest known ice in North America, thus suggesting that permafrost has survived climates warmer than today's. "Previously, it was thought that the permafrost had completely disappeared from the interior about 120,000 years ago," said Duane Froese, an earth scientist at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, who is the author of the study. "This deep permafrost appears to have been stable for more than 700,000 years, including several periods that were warmer and wetter," he added. According to a report in Nature News, the relict ground ice is located in the Klondike region of the Yukon and was exposed by gold mining in the late 1990s. Froese first identified the site in 2000, but assumed at the time that the ice and surrounding permafrost were relatively young. It wasn't until 2005, when a large rainstorm uncovered a layer of volcanic ash, or tephra, on top of the ice that he and his colleagues were able to estimate its age. Fission-track dating, which quantified the damage done to the tephra's glassy particles by the decay of the uranium and other radioactive materials they contain, put the ash's age between 680,000 and 800,000 years. "Based on the exposure, the ash is above the ice and it seems to be a valid date," said Jim Beget, a tephra expert at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, who visited the site in 2005. If the finding is corroborated and other similar sites are identified, climate modellers could use the information to improve their understanding of permafrost dynamics under warmer scenarios. Earlier calculations estimated that 48 billion tonnes of carbon could be released from Canadian permafrost over the twenty-first century if the mean annual temperature increased by 4 degree Celsius. The old-ice finding suggests that some pockets of permafrost may be more resilient to climate change. According to Vladimir Romanovsky, a geophysicist who is also at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, "But it doesn't mean that we shouldn't expect very severe changes in permafrost if this predicted warming does happen." (ANI) |
Shine Lawyers have launched a class action against Westpac for allegedly selling customers life insurance policies at steep mark ups in a case they speculate could be worth $100 million. The statement of claim filed on October 12 claims Westpac's financial planners sold term life, total and permanent disablement, trauma and income protection insurance at a 10 per cent premium compared to the same policies sold elsewhere. The 20 page statement of claim highlights the bank's use of the code "CF 1.045" for policies that were 4.5 per cent higher and sold by its network of financial advisers. The code "CF 0.95" was used for policies that were sold at a 5 per cent discount that were available to independent financial advisers. Westpac is the latest bank to be targeted in a class action. Carla Gottgens Lawyers for Shine claim the bank breached its fiduciary duty, unfairly took advantage of its position and improperly used its position to gain a benefit for itself. It is believed the policies in question were off-the-shelf will little tailoring for individual clients. Some policies were sold at a premium and some at a discount with the resulting pool of premiums the same size as another pool where all the policies were sold at 100 per cent. |
Researchers have shown that they can create entirely new strains of infectious proteins known as prions in the laboratory by simply mixing infectious prions from one species with the normal prion proteins of another species. Prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are infectious neurodegenerative diseases affecting the brain of several species of mammals including humans. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is the most common prion disease in humans, along with scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, aka mad cow) in cattle, and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and other cervids. Unlike conventional infectious microorganisms, the infectious agent in the case of prion diseases consists exclusively of a misfolded form of the prion protein, earlier studies showed. The researchers now find that prion strains produced by combining normal hamster proteins with infectious mouse proteins can infect hamsters and vice versa. Although they are both rodents, prions from one of the two species normally don't readily infect the other, a common phenomenon amongst prions known as a species barrier, the researchers explained. The novel prions they produced not only look different, but they also produce symptoms in the animals that differ from any known strain found in nature, they report. " We are forcing the system by putting everything together, but this suggests that the variety of possible prions is really very large," said Claudio Soto of the University of Texas Medical Branch. "We shouldn't be surprised if new barriers are crossed and new prions arise. There is the potential for a large variety of new infectious prions—some of which may have dramatic effects." "The infectous agent is nothing like what we're used to," Soto said. "It's just a protein with a different shape from the normal protein we all have." Those misfolded and misshapen proteins can spread by causing normal protein to change their shape. Those aberrant forms band together, forming fibrils. The findings are reported in the September 5th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication. Soto's team recently reported the generation of infectious prions by amplification of prion misfolding in the test tube. In those experiments, they used a technology called protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) that mimics some of the fundamental steps involved in the replication of infectious prions in living animals, but at an accelerated rate. The method involves placing small quantities of infectious prions with large quantities of the normal protein from the same species together, allowing the infectious form to imprint on the normal form and thereby replicate itself. Now, they show that the same method can generate new strains when infectious prions from one species are mixed with normal prion proteins from another species. The finding provides conclusive evidence that the imprinting of disease-causing prions on normal forms can overcome species barriers, and doesn't require any other infectious agent. This new insight has profound implications for public health, according to the researchers. " One of the scariest medical problems of the last decades has been the emergence of a new and fatal human prion disease--variant CJD--originated by cross-species transmission of BSE from cattle," the researchers said. BSE has also spread to other animals, including exotic cats, other primates and domestic cats, after they ate feed derived from diseased cows. The new method might provide insight into the risk that other prion diseases could spread from one species to another, Soto said. For instance, scientists don't know whether chronic wasting disease, a condition now on the rise amongst deer in some parts of the U.S., can be transmitted to humans or not. Test tube studies like this one might help answer that question, and-- in the case that the deer prions can make the leap—such studies may inform scientists about what those prions might look like, he said. By studying any new prion strains created in mice with the human prion protein, scientists might also gain insight into the potential symptoms associated with those diseases. " The data demonstrate that PMCA is a valuable tool for the investigation of the strength of the barrier between diverse species, its molecular determinants, and the expected features of the new infectious material produced," the researchers concluded. "Finally, our findings suggest that the universe of possible prions is not restricted to those currently known but that likely many unique infectious foldings of the prion protein may be produced and that one of the sources for this is cross-species transmission." The researchers include Joaquin Castilla, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX; Dennisse Gonzalez-Romero, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX; Paula Saa, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX ,Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Rodrigo Morales, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX , University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Jorge De Castro, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX; and Claudio Soto, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX . |
NBC's "Meet the Press" is in trouble. After dominating the Sunday morning ratings war for decades, it has lately faltered, coming in third in the fourth quarter of 2013. Critics and media writers think host David Gregory ought to be replaced. But NBC executives, according to Michael Calderone, are sticking with Gregory. "We're doubling down on David Gregory right now," says NBC News senior vice president Alex Wallace. (Wallace may not understand that the phrase "double down" refers to knowingly making a high-risk bet. If that's the case, she is not alone.) While they are sticking with Gregory, NBC executives are not too proud to make some desperate grabs for a younger audience. Millions of people still watch the Sunday shows, but few of those viewers are under the age of 55. Network news executives and producers are keen to reach a younger demographic, but unwilling to make some of the more radical changes -- like having a non-idiot host and not inviting John McCain on every goddamn week -- that may attract a more youthful audience. Instead, NBC's gambit is having David Gregory do additional interviews and panel discussions to be aired on "the Internet," a global computer network known to be popular with the non-retired set. To emphasize that he is, as the kids say, "with it," Gregory will sometimes not wear a tie. Advertisement: Gregory has long done web-only interviews ("Press Pass") for the "Meet the Press 24/7" page, and has been conducting interviews over Twitter ("Tweet the Press") in the past few months. On Thursday, NBC News launched "Meet the Press Express," a mid-week digital video series, hosted by Gregory, which features a rotating group of journalists from the network's Washington bureau. In a play on the NCAA tournament, Gregory, sans tie, spoke with Roll Call's Christina Bellantoni, The Atlantic's Molly Ball, and the Washington Post's Wesley Lowery about their political brackets, and the group sized up the futures of key political players. The "Meet the Press Express" discussions are expected to be more casual than the Sunday roundtable and to feature a younger generation of political journalists who may someday appear on the television show alongside, say, New York Times columnist Tom Friedman or historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. Brackets ... but for politics? That's just the sort of outside-the-box approach to political analysis that appeals to a guy like me, an 18-54-year-old male consumer. All the network Sunday shows, "Meet the Press" included, are notorious for their conservative (in every sense of the word) booking choices. Old, white center-right men dominate the interviews and panels, with the same few faces appearing again and again. So it's nice to hear that "Meet the Press" will finally feature some younger, fresher voices. But ... only on the Web, apparently. Because they are, in some sense, auditioning to be allowed to sit at the Sunday morning grown-ups table with respected elders like Bill Kristol. But "Meet the Press" is not losing viewers to "Face the Nation" and "This Week" because those shows skew younger -- Bob Scheiffer is no one's idea of a teen idol and those shows have nearly identical booking practices. "Meet the Press" is declining because it's not the definitive version of its thing -- the Sunday morning political chat show -- anymore, and its competitors offer essentially the exact same product, giving no one a reason to remain loyal to one over the others. So I will give NBC some credit. The solution is not to replace Gregory with someone like Chuck Todd, the human incarnation of the odious phrase "politics junkie." That show would be largely the same. Instead, the network will apparently allow Gregory to continue to guide "Meet the Press" toward its inevitable, long-overdue demise. Which is fine! If there has to be a "Meet the Press" I'd prefer a good one to the current bad one, but there doesn't actually have to be a "Meet the Press." |
The Dallas Morning News July 4, 1999 THIRD EDITION SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1A SAFE PASSAGE? Panama Canal a terrorist's dream come true, say some officials worried about security after U.S. handoff SERIES: END OF AN ERA: THE UNITED STATES AND THE PANAMA CANAL SOURCE: Latin America Bureau of The Dallas Morning News BYLINE: Tod Robberson DATELINE: MIRAFLORES LOCKS, Panama BODY: Second in an occasional series MIRAFLORES LOCKS, Panama - Knocking out the world's most strategic interoceanic waterway and placing a stranglehold on international commerce isn't really as hard as it might seem when viewed from the locks of the Panama Canal. Here, at the southernmost point linking the canal to the Pacific Ocean, a guide demonstrated how easy it is to gain direct access to the canal by sliding a simple, unlocked deadbolt on a wrought-iron garden gate. Nobody asked for IDs or security clearance. There were no weapons checks. The canal locks were only a few steps away. In fact, for most of its 43-mile length, there is virtually nothing separating a sightseer or would-be saboteur from the waterway used by more than 13,000 ships each year to cross between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. And that is what is troubling security analysts and military strategists around the world. The Panama Canal is a terrorist's dream come true, according to U.S. military officials and international security experts. The canal's vulnerability to attack is so high that the United States once maintained more than 70,000 troops to deter aggressors. Analysts say the presence of U.S. troops has had a tremendous deterrent effect on would-be saboteurs. But on Dec. 31, the U.S. mandate to base military forces here will come to an end as the final phase of the 1979 Panama Canal Treaties is implemented. The United States is in the process of turning over $ 3.4 billion in assets, including 93,000 acres of military bases and 5,000 buildings, that once provided round-the-clock protection for the canal. As of noon on New Year's Eve, responsibility for the canal's protection will rest solely in the hands of Panama, a nation of 2.8 million people that has not had a military since 1989, when U.S. forces invaded the isthmus to oust its dictator, Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega. Turnover question As the turnover date approaches, a number of security issues continue to trouble authorities of both countries. About 150 miles southeast of Panama City, guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, are regularly staging forays into Panamanian territory. The rebels are known to operate bases in Panama and to use it as a transit point for arms shipments. Senior Panamanian officials acknowledge the country cannot do much to deter such rebel incursions. Equally disturbing are the increasingly bold actions being staged deeper inside Colombia by guerrillas of the National Liberation Army, or ELN, who have attempted to attract world attention with hijackings and mass kidnappings. Analysts say it would be neither difficult nor inconceivable for the ELN to attempt a similar attention-getting move in Panama, although they note that there is little historical precedent for it. The wild-eyed men of the world, the terrorists, don't always think in what we say are logical, intellectual terms," said retired Gen. Gordon Sumner, a former U.S. ambassador-at- large to Latin America. He is now at the forefront of an effort by archconservatives in Washington to have the Panama Canal Treaties annulled. Although senior U.S. and Panamanian officials insist that the canal is not regarded as a major attack target for rogue nations or terrorist groups, Mr. Sumner contends that the canal remains vulnerable to anyone trying to attract world attention. " I've always said, if you want to get at the United States, you don't go attack the lion in the cage, you go down to Panama and attack Bambi," he said. A Latin America-based military expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a small commando unit could easily shut down the canal for a matter of months or years. " It wouldn't be very hard. I could do it with a few guys," the expert said. A shoulder-fired, armor-piercing antitank missile could sink a ship at any of several locations and bring traffic to a complete standstill, he said. Each of the massive steel gates in the locks, which hold back the 52 million gallons of water used by each ship during a canal transit, could be disabled or blown open with a few pounds of plastic explosives. An attack on the Gatun Dam, which maintains the huge reservoir of water needed to feed the canal, could flood the canal and disable it for years, the military expert said. Gen. Noriega and his predecessor, Gen. Omar Torrijos, reportedly maintained contingency plans for blowing up the Gatun Dam and mining the canal at other strategic points if the United States did not agree to open negotiations for the canal's reversion. " In my time, the most credible threat against the canal came from Panama itself," said retired Lt. Gen. Dennis P. McAuliffe, former head of the U.S. Southern Command and administrator of the canal during the 1980s. "Torrijos told us that "If we don't get a treaty, we'll simply destroy it.' " Former U.S. ambassador Robert Pastor, principal negotiator of the Panama Canal Treaties during the Carter administration, cited Panamanian threats against the canal as one of the primary factors inducing President Carter to set the U.S. withdrawal in motion. One person with a suitcase full of dynamite could close the canal for three years by blowing up one set of locks," he said. "The Pentagon was well aware of the canal's indefensibility." In February 1998, the environmental group Greenpeace demonstrated how easy it would be to seize a ship inside the canal. Members of the group used a motorboat and grappling hooks to board a British cargo ship carrying 38 tons of highly radioactive nuclear waste as it entered the canal on the Atlantic side. The protesters chained themselves to a forward mast of the ship, unfurled a "Stop Plutonium" banner and remained on board until canal security personnel removed them at the canal's Gatun Locks. Security measures In an interview shortly before the Greenpeace action, canal administrator Alberto Aleman Zubieta insisted that current security measures were adequate to prevent an attack. "You cannot move around here without us knowing where you are," he said, describing monitoring devices throughout the canal as "very sophisticated." He added that the security force employed by the canal is equal to the kind of "high-tech industrial security force" that would be found at any U.S. airport or sensitive private facility. Security threats to Panama extend far beyond extremist guerrilla groups. Colombian drug traffickers traditionally have used Panama as a primary transshipment point for cocaine and heroin, while they take advantage of Panama's dollar-based economy to launder billions in illicit profits. With the U.S. withdrawal, many experts are warning that drug lords could quickly fill the void. When the last U.S. military element leaves Panama at noon on Dec. 31, 1999, that departure may create a vacuum which could threaten the efficient operation of the canal and the regional security in the strategic median of the Western Hemisphere," warned a 1997 analysis prepared for the National Defense University in Washington. "The greatest fear is of the Colombianization of Panama." The corrupting influence of drug trafficking and money laundering could reach epidemic proportions and have adverse effects on canal administration and operations," the Atlantic Council, a Panama-based think tank composed of businessmen and former U.S. military officers, warned in a report in March. "While such developments are unlikely, the risks are too great to ignore the possibility of worst-case scenarios." China also plays a major role in assessments of the canal's vulnerability. A Hong Kong-based company, Hutchison-Whampoa, has purchased rights to develop ports at both the Pacific and Atlantic entrances to the Panama Canal. Although the company says the purchases constitute nothing more than a business venture, conservatives in Washington are warning that China could soon be in control of the canal. "We created a vacuum in Panama, and people are filling it," Mr. Sumner said. "I don't blame the Chinese for taking advantage of that." They're trying to intercept the major sea lines of communication," said retired Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and another archconservative critic of the Panama Canal Treaties. The U.S. military withdrawal from Panama, Mr. Moorer added, "is the worst foreign policy blooper in the history of the United States from a national security standpoint." Mike Booth, general manager of Panama Ports Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hutchison-Whampoa, characterized the accusations being made against China and his company as absurd. It doesn't make any sense at all," he said. "We are an international company operating in 18 or 19 ports around the world." Hutchison-Whampoa also operates a large port in Freeport, Bahamas, even closer to the U.S. mainland than Panama. But Mr. Booth said that, curiously, he has never heard American conservatives level the same kinds of accusations against the Bahamian operations. Mr. McAuliffe also disagreed with the dire assessments. " It's just a lot of baloney," he said. "Yes, there are Red Chinese, and they are building ports at both ends of the canal. But the Taiwanese are there, too. That's business. Sure, you can point fingers and make a lot of noise. But it's a line that simply does not make sense." Mr. McAuliffe noted that China is one of the main clients of the canal and would therefore be harming itself economically by attempting to seize or close the waterway. Since the canal's opening in 1914, the United States and Panama have pledged to keep the waterway open to all nations, regardless of whether they are belligerents or declared enemies of either nation. 'Open to all' Even during World War II, the United States guaranteed the unhindered passage through the canal of vessels from Germany and Japan, said Col. Dave Hunt, the chief U.S. liaison officer overseeing the canal's reversion to Panama. "Our policy at that time is the same as it is today," he said. "As long as they're making a peaceful passage, the canal is open to all." A section of the Panama Canal Treaties, Col. Hunt added, guarantees the United States the right to intervene militarily should any nation or other aggressor threaten the canal's operations. Ironically, the only time in the canal's history that it has been closed by military force was at U.S. insistence during the 1989 invasion. Today, in anticipation of the U.S. departure, major shipping lines and insurers have commissioned studies of the potential effects of the canal's closure on international cargo routes, the Latin America military expert said. Alternatives for most shippers are not attractive. They include unloading cargo and shipping it by rail from one ocean port to the other, or diverting ships up to 5,000 miles around the tip of South America, which can add three weeks or more to a voyage. The effect on U.S. commerce would be significant, given that 13 percent of all U.S. seaborne trade transits the canal. The canal is far less crucial for Asian trade, however. A ship traveling from southern China to New York would add only 50 to 100 miles to the voyage by crossing the Indian Ocean and transiting the Suez Canal, compared with crossing the Pacific and using the Panama Canal. At least in theory, critics say, China could shut down the canal and still ship its goods without major delays. Mr. Aleman, the canal administrator, insisted the waterway will remain safe and threat-free once the United States has withdrawn. "The canal is neutral. It is open for every country to use it," he said. "Yes, there are always crazy people out there . . . but I don't think you need an army to protect it." |
FILE- In this Sept. 13, 2017, file photo, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., leaves a meeting with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus at the Capitol in Washington. The top House and Senate Democrats have announced agreement with President Donald Trump to protect certain immigrants brought illegally to this country as children — along with some border security enhancements. The agreement was announced in a joint statement from Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, following a dinner the pair had with Trump at the White House. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — The top House and Senate Democrats said Wednesday they had reached agreement with President Donald Trump to protect thousands of younger immigrants from deportation and fund some border security enhancements — not including Trump’s long-sought border wall. The agreement, the latest instance of Trump ditching his own party to make common cause with the opposition, was announced by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi following a White House dinner that Republican lawmakers weren’t invited to attend. It would enshrine protections for the nearly 800,000 immigrants brought illegally to this country as kids who had benefited from former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, which provided temporary work permits and shielded recipients from deportation. Trump ended the program earlier this month and gave Congress six months to come up with a legislative fix before the statuses of the so-called “Dreamers” begin to expire. “We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that’s acceptable to both sides,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders partially disputed their characterization, saying over Twitter that “excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to.” Either way, it was the second time in two weeks that Trump cut out Republicans to reach a deal with Pelosi and Schumer. A person briefed on the meeting, who demanded anonymity to discuss it, said the deal specifies bipartisan legislation called the DREAM Act that provides eventual citizenship for the young immigrants. House Republicans would normally rebel over such an approach, which many view as amnesty for law-breakers. It remains to be seen how conservatives’ loyalty to Trump will affect their response to a policy they would have opposed under other circumstances. The House’s foremost immigration hardliner, GOP Rep. Steve King of Iowa, made clear that he, for one, was not happy. Addressing Trump over Twitter, King wrote that if the reports were true, “Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible.” Earlier Wednesday, during a White House meeting with moderate House members from both parties, Trump had urged lawmakers to come up with a bipartisan solution for the “Dreamers.” “We don’t want to forget DACA,” Trump told the members at the meeting. “We want to see if we can do something in a bipartisan fashion so that we can solve the DACA problem and other immigration problems.” Foreshadowing what was to take place later that evening, Trump said he would be open to separating the wall issue from the question of the younger immigrants, as long as the wall got dealt with eventually. At Thursday night’s dinner, “the president was clear he would press for the wall but separate from this agreement,” said Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill. The apparent deal is the latest example of Trump’s sudden pivot to bipartisanship after months of railing against Democrats as “obstructionist.” He has also urged them to join him in overhauling the nation’s tax code, among other priorities. Trump, who was deeply disappointed by Republicans’ failure to make good on years of promises to repeal “Obamacare,” infuriated many in his party last week when he reached a three-month deal with Schumer and Pelosi to raise the debt ceiling, keep the government running and speed relief to states affected by recent hurricanes. “More and more we’re trying to work things out together,” Trump explained Wednesday, calling the development a “positive thing” for both parties. “If you look at some of the greatest legislation ever passed, it was done on a bipartisan manner. And so that’s what we’re going to give a shot,” he said. The “Kumbaya” moment now appears to extend to the thorny issue of immigration, which has been vexing lawmakers for years. Funding for Trump’s promised wall had been thought to be a major point of contention between Republicans and Democrats as they attempted to forge a deal — yet by Thursday, Trump was apparently ready to deal even on that issue, the one that most defined his campaign for president last year. __ Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Ken Thomas contributed to this report. ___ Follow Colvin on Twitter at https://twitter.com/colvinj |
Data mining has changed the way we think about information. Machine-learning algorithms now routinely chomp their way through data sets of Twitter conversations, travel patterns, phone calls, and health records, to name just a few. And the insights this brings is dramatically improving our understanding of communication, travel, health, and so on. But there is another historical data set that has been largely ignored by the data-mining community—photographs. This presents a more complex challenge. For a start, the data set is vast, spanning 150 years since the dawn of photography. What’s more, the information it contains can be hard to distill, often because it is too complex or too mundane to describe in words. Today, that changes thanks to the work of Shiry Ginosar at the University of California, Berkeley, and a few pals, who have pioneered a machine-vision approach to mining the data in ordinary photographs. These guys start with a relatively simple database—American high-school yearbook photographs dating back to 1905. These yearbook photos have been digitized on large scale by local libraries all over the U.S. and show full frontal photos of individuals in a standard pose. Ginosar and co downloaded over 150,000 of these portraits. After removing those that were not full frontal portraits, they were left with some 37,000 images from more than 800 yearbooks from 26 U.S. states. They then grouped the portraits by decade and superimposed the images to produce an “average” face for each period. This process revealed other “average” features for each period such as hairstyle, clothing, style of glasses, and even average facial expressions. The image above shows these averages for each decade for men and women. The results make for interesting reading. A particularly striking feature is the evolution of smiling in yearbook photographs. Ginosar and co say that in the years after the invention of photography, most people adopted the same pose they would have used for a painted portrait—a neutral expression that would be easy to hold for a long period. “Etiquette and beauty standards dictated that the mouth be kept small—resulting in an instruction to “say prunes” (rather than cheese) when a photograph was being taken,” say Ginosar and co. But that changed during the 20th century, when photography became more popular. In particular, the photography company Kodak used advertising to popularize the idea of smiling in photos so that the images recorded happy memories. Whatever the reason, smiling has become much more prominent. “These days we take for granted that we should smile when our picture is being taken,” say Ginosar and pals. And the data backs that up. The team developed an algorithm for determining the degree of lip curvature in the photographs and this showed a clear trend in increasing smile intensity over time. The data also reveals another trend. “Women significantly and consistently smile more than men,” they say. This is not a new discovery—indeed it has been discussed for decades. But in the past, the data could only be assembled by painstaking manual analysis of thousands of photos. A comparison with Ginosar and co’s technique shows its power. ”By use of a large historical data collection and a simple smile-detector we arrived at the same conclusion with a minimal amount of annotation and virtually no manual effort,” they say. The data also reveals other trends. Ginosar and co point to the evolution of hairstyles, saying their data sets pick out: “The finger waves of the ’30s. The pin curls of the ’40s and ’50s. The bob, “winged” flip, bubble cut of the ’60s. The long hair, Afros, and bouffants of the ’70s. The perms and bangs of the ’80s and ’90s, and the straight long hair fashionable in the 2000s.” Other things haven’t changed though. For example, the default dress code for men has remained the suit throughout the 20th century. Of course, there are some limitations to this dataset. For example, less than 10 percent of American 18-year-olds graduated from high school in the 1900s, but this rose to more than 50 percent at the end of the 1960s. What’s more, the African American population was not represented in schools until the middle of the 20th century, creating a significant bias in the data set. Nevertheless, the works provides a fascinating insight into the way photographic data sets might be exploited in future. And the evolution of smiling and hairstyles is just the beginning. It’s not hard to think of other features that could be extracted from seemingly mundane images. For example, the history of family snapshots probably contains a vast database of information about the evolution of wallpaper patterns, clothing, children’s toys, and so on. For the moment, this database is largely untapped. But that looks set to change in the not too distant future. Ref: arxiv.org/abs/1511.02575: A Century of Portraits: A Visual Historical Record of American High School Yearbooks |
WASHINGTON — “Get a gym body without going to the gym” by sprinkling a powder on your food. “Significantly slim your thighs and buttocks” using an almond-scented cream. Lose up to one pound a day with just two drops under the tongue. Such claims were too good to be true, according to the Federal Trade Commission. On Tuesday, the commission charged four companies with deceptively marketing weight-loss products, asserting they made “unfounded promises” that consumers could shed pounds simply by using their food additives, skin creams and other dietary supplements. The four companies — Sensa Products, L’Occitane, HCG Diet Direct and LeanSpa — will collectively pay $34 million to refund consumers. They neither admitted nor denied fault in the case. The case is part of a broader crackdown on companies that the government says “peddle fad weight-loss products.” Linda Goldstein, the chairwoman of the advertising and marketing division at the law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, said the settlements made clear that the commission would accept only double-blind, placebo-controlled studies to document the medical effectiveness of diet regimes. |
It’s always nice to have dinner with friends… unless you’re on NBC’s Hannibal. In this exclusive clip from the drama’s Season 2 premiere (which airs Friday, Feb. 28 at 10/9c), Jack is busy punishing himself for Will’s alleged mental breakdown and Dr. Lecter is serving up the same kind of creepy mindgames he always does. RELATED | Hannibal Exclusive: Katharine Isabelle Joins Season 2 as [Spoiler’s] Love Interest Sure that his former profiler will pay the ultimate price for his crimes, a very guilty Jack laments that”Will’s death is on me.” Meanwhile, Lecter says that Jack shouldn’t blame himself but likely thinks about whether a Crawford filet pairs better with red or white. Worth noting: The two colleagues’ interaction is a sight more civilized than the series’ other, more violent sneak peak that’s been making the rounds. As far as we can tell, that badness doesn’t go down on the same night as this dinner — Hannibal and Jack appear to be wearing different clothes in the two clips — but feel free to put on your profiler hats and see if you can come to a different conclusion. Press PLAY, and dinner is served. |
Part of the car modification game in California, and any Nissan 240SX engine swap is unfortunately smog. Whether or not you build a turbo KA or swap a SR, RB, 2JZGTE or otherwise, fact is you are paying someone illegally, or converting back to factory state for smog. Neither concept is appealing. Nobody likes doing it but if this is what you love and your passion, some things are part of the natural compromise. This is the beginning of our project 240SX and we’ll be documenting the cost for you to review. You can use some of the very same methods as well as duplicate the build for a relatively low amount of money. This of course isn’t the best build for the beloved 240, but when you do the math the bang for the buck is impressive. Goals of Budget Beast Complete the recipe for a 500 wheel horsepower 50 state legal Nissan 240SX under 5,000 dollars. Chassis – 1995 Nissan 240SX Engine – 1999 Lexus GS300 2JZGE Transmission – 2006 Nissan 350Z CD009 six speed transmission Updates for Budget Beast Prepare your 2JZ Engine Prepare your CD009 Transmission As you can imagine, there’s quite a bit of give and take with a project like this. Mainly because you are possibly exceeding manufacturer horsepower levels by several factors. People producing over 500 horsepower in a 2.0L SR20DET are putting substantially more load and engine wear on their motor, as opposed to a LS1 or 2JZGTE. But the fact is you are forced to revert back to smog when it’s time to renew your California license plate tags. To show you how to build the ultimate budget 2JZ 240SX, our Budget Beast series of articles will walk you through the build each step at a time. So when locating our donor Nissan, we of course turned to our local auction house for a cheap S14. After some digging we managed to find our 240SX, which had some interesting work and color combinations done to it, to say the least. Our car is a 1995 Nissan 240SX with a crashed front end, but without frame damage. There’s also some things we’ve managed to rip off the car that will prove useful when we begin calculating the cost of our Ultimate Budget Beast. We are starting out 1450 out of pocket for this automatic transmission equipped 2.4 liter KA24DE. The reason why we are building a 50 state Budget Beast is to show you how to properly work the smog game to your advantage, and build a 240SX swap you can smog. Two of the things that will be going first are the wing as well as the hideous Chinese exhaust catback from the 240. Because this project is meant as the ultimate budget build, we’ll be selling off components from the car and making the best possible 240SX swap for the money. Once you’ve completed our guide on building the ultimate 240SX engine swap guide, you should be able to pass smog in California. This is pretty important because if you can’t get your smog taken care of, your investment is suddenly a pretty lawn ornament. This is what our budget budget 2JZ 240SX build is for, a base for building a 240 without breaking the bank. Some users have asked us what our favorite swap is, and honestly it’s this one. We are building an engine from a 1999 Lexus GS300, which is a 2JZGE a non turbo version of the Toyota Supra. The 2JZGE shown here cost us $650 dollars for the complete engine, intake manifold and wiring harness, which is not bad. This engine is plentiful and can be found in a variety of Lexus or Toyota vehicles. We are choosing this engine because it’s easy to get running, and picking the 1999 model year means we have a newer engine which is what you need for CARB certification. If you are following along with our build, make sure to stick to a 1999 model year, as that avoids the headache of the Lexus theft deterrent system. Below is the breakdown of 2JZ 240SX swap cost, and it’s an easy way for you to follow the build and how much is being spent. Our budget 2JZ 240sx build will show you how to build your own engine mounts, modify your own wiring harness, and show you how to swap and plan a budget 2JZ 240SX build. Current Budget Beast Tally 1995 Nissan 240SX – Very purple – $1450 Used 1999 Lexus GS300 2JZGE engine – $650 Up next for Budget Beast – Removing your KA24DE Engine |
WARRENSBURG, Missouri—Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander burst onto the national stage for putting together an AR-15 blindfolded in an ad to defuse attacks that he was anti-gun. He’s actually a better shot with a Beretta M9 service pistol. Kander is a rare breed: a Democrat running on military service for Congress, in a state where most voters are Republicans. It highlights why the Democrats are continuing to spend resources in Missouri, even as it shifts money out of races with more conventional political candidates in Ohio and Florida—the Clinton campaign has said it will drop a half million dollars there, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has pledged $1.5 million on Kander’s behalf in the state. Democrats hope that his particular set of skills—and the contrast between a former Army officer and a longtime politician—will attract enough voters to unseat veteran Missouri politician Roy Blunt, who has won every election he has contested since 1996. “Sen. Blunt has sat in a lot of committee rooms where he has read information off a piece of paper… and that information eventually got to that paper… because somebody in a dangerous place went down a street or into a room and risked their life to get that information,” Kander told The Daily Beast in a recent interview. “I’m actually the guy who was on the street, or in the room.” While he serves as a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Blunt is not a veteran. Not only that, The Kansas City Star reported that the senator received three Vietnam-era student draft deferments. Since Blunt’s wife, daughter, and son have been lobbyists, and 46 of Blunt’s former staff worked as lobbyists before or after working for him, Democrats have attacked him for being more comfortable with Washington insiders than with ordinary voters. As a former Army intelligence officer, on the other hand, Kander can talk with ease to veterans, who represent half a million voters in the state, or one out of every 12 people. His status as a veteran forms the backbone of his campaign—and is a major reason why he is neck and neck with Blunt in the polls—the RealClearPolitics average has the incumbent senator up by just one percentage point (neither the Blunt campaign nor the National Republican Senatorial Committee returned requests for comment to discuss this race). It’s a message echoed in a buzz-generating ad that dropped Monday, where his former commanding officer, a retired colonel, praised him for volunteering for tough assignments: “He’s a soldier, and he’s the kind of change we need in the Senate.” “You have the fewest veterans in Congress since World War II,” Kander said, arguing that there were too few people in the nation’s capital who “have voluntarily been through something harder than a reelection campaign.” His military service is at least partially the reason he is able to, as a Democrat, capitalize on the state’s pro-Trump sentiments. At 44 percent in two Missouri polls taken earlier this month, Kander has shown he has more support than Hillary Clinton, who the RealClearPolitics average has at 39.8 percent in the state—indicating that Kander’s base includes Trump supporters who are willing to vote for a Democrat like him. “I understand why people, given the lack of authenticity in the national conversation, are willing to consider someone even when they don’t think they’re qualified to do the job, and that’s what’s happening with Donald Trump,” he said. “I am ready for the job and I represent the change people are looking for.” In a plain, white-walled room at the University of Central Missouri, marked only with a few stray signs with his name and slogan—“#FixCongress”—Kander gathered a small group of veterans for a roundtable discussion earlier this month. It becomes immediately clear why he has broad appeal, at least to this group: His banter hints at deep familiarity with jargon, inside jokes, and interservice rivalries few without military experience understand. It’s his way of signaling: I’m one of you. “Gary, you’re in the Marines, as you remind me regularly,” the prior-service Army vet joked, during a whirlwind of questions about VA reform and the role of veterans in society. He spoke of how unique their common experience of being in the military was, and how sad it is that many people think of veterans firstly as a cause for charity, rather than something to be celebrated. If elected to Congress, Kander would join a younger generation of Democrats on Capitol Hill that has served in the military before politics, including Army National Guardsman Tulsi Gabbard, former Marine Corps officer Seth Moulton, and Purple Heart recipient Tammy Duckworth. “The Democratic Party has made a concerted effort to get combat vets to run for Congress because they understand vets make credible leaders,” said a senior official for a major veterans organization, who requested anonymity because the group had not endorsed in the Missouri Senate race. “What you’re seeing in Missouri is that those Republicans at the top of the ticket are not running the best campaigns… these dynamics are creating an opening for Kander, and I think he’s exploited it pretty well.” His message is one of an outsider—he never misses a chance to mention that his opponent has been in office for nearly 20 years—who is bringing a fresh perspective to the Senate. In fact, at 35 years old, he is almost half the age of the 66-year-old Blunt. And Kander even self-identifies as a member of the “millennial generation.” It’s not so much that the Trump crossover voters agree with what he believes on every issue, Kander contends, but that they’re looking for a fresh start and a way to express their frustration with Washington, D.C. “People don’t need a candidate to agree with them on every issue. They want to know that the candidate is saying something they believe,” he said. He wanted to bring, as he described it, the “ethic of the military” to the Senate, that “the mission comes first”—away from the partisan bickering of the moment. “Look, I did anti-corruption investigations in Afghanistan. Got to the state legislature and found that I was pretty discouraged to see there was plenty of anti-corruption work to do there too,” he quipped. After seeing the corruption from Missouri to Afghanistan, what makes him think that a lone senator can, in the words of his slogan, #FixCongress? “It starts with one,” he said. |
The Lebanese are on edge. Each bombing, rocket attack, and clash—whether in the north in Tripoli or the east in the Bekaa Valley—reminds them that the big one could be out there, ready to turn their world upside down. The car bombing Monday in a Beirut suburb, in the heart of a Hezbollah stronghold, wasn’t the big one—fortunately there were no deaths, although more than 50 were wounded—but it is being taken as a warning of what could be impending: an attack that finally triggers full-scale sectarian warfare between Sunni Muslims and Shiites across this small Mediterranean country. The blast that ripped through the densely populated southern Beirut suburb of Dahyeh has prompted yet more fears that Lebanon risks being dragged back into civil war. The last one stretched for 15 years, left 120,000 dead, and wounded 1 in 4 Lebanese. Since then a fragile balance has been observed, giving all of Lebanon’s main religious sects a share in government power. There has been a relative, shaky peace with occasional alarms—such as the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri, the former prime minister, and Hezbollah’s invasion of west Beirut in 2008. Both risked plunging Lebanon back into violence, but in the end total disaster was averted. Now few Lebanese are confident that another escape can be pulled off. In the past few months, as the drums of violence have beaten, the hotels, bars, and restaurants of Beirut have become emptier. Tourism is down. In swanky nightspots such as the Skybar, the Lebanese rich admit their fears and explain that they are shifting their money overseas and preparing escape options abroad. “They are ruining Lebanon,” says a bejeweled middle-aged divorcée. “But we won’t let them,” she adds before disclosing that a boyfriend is checking out apartments in Paris. The Syrian civil war that’s inflamed sectarian Muslim divisions across the Middle East has done special harm to Lebanon, bringing to the fore radical Sunni clerics such as Sheik Ahmad al-Assir, who is baying for the blood of apostate Shiites and propelling Hezbollah into an intervention in Syria on behalf of its patron, President Bashar al-Assad. A couple of politicians, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Shiite, sought to blame Israel for the bombing—an easy target in Lebanon, which has seen its fair share over the years of underhanded Israeli maneuvers, black ops, and false-flag assassinations. “The southern suburbs, since the ’80s, have been the target of Israeli-organized crime, terrorism, and sabotage, as well as enemy [attacks] by air and sea that destroyed and killed during the July [2006] war,” he said. And angry Shiite residents in Dahyeh, surveying the debris, shattered apartment buildings, and burning cars with the cries of the injured ringing in their ears, echoed the hue and cry that Berri and others eagerly have tried to unleash, saying that they too blamed Israel “and those working to serve Israel's interests.” But few here believe the Israelis are the authors of a blast that was designed to add insult to injury, coming as it did on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan. Just last week Lebanon’s outspoken interior minister, Marwan Charbel, warned of the possibility of “dangerous security incidents, including assassinations and bombings,” in Lebanon and said Lebanese politicians, both of the Hezbollah-dominated March 8 coalition of parties and their Sunni opponents in the March 14 alliance, were in danger. And immediately after the blast, Lebanon’s president, Michel Suleiman, dubbed the explosion a “reminder of the black days experienced by the Lebanese in the past,” a reference to the 1975–90 civil war. He urged “understanding and dialogue between the Lebanese” and for a halt to “resorting to such methods in conveying political messages.” He didn’t mention Israel, which hardly needs to foment trouble in Lebanon when the Lebanese are doing a good job of it themselves. Most view the bombing as retaliation for Hezbollah’s military support of Syria’s President Assad. Several groups have served notice of their intentions to hit Hezbollah, from homegrown Sunni radicals frustrated by Hezbollah’s increasing dominance in Lebanon and furious with Lebanese Shiites for their support of Assad to al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, which received a drubbing at the hands of Hezbollah in a battle in a Syrian border town. The Free Syrian Army’s military commander, Gen. Salim Idris, warned recently that Hezbollah’s backing of Syria’s president would be met with retaliation and the targeting of its strongholds in Lebanon. Days after he spoke in May, two rockets were launched from the foothills of the Druze Mountains, targeting the Shiite southern suburbs of Beirut, although they fell short. There have also been episodic rocket attacks on Bekaa Valley Shiite towns fired from Syrian rebel-held positions. A Lebanese intelligence source hazards that jihadists from al-Nusra are most likely behind the blast, arguing that the group has expertise in car bombings. The operation was well planned and skillfully executed, with the car bomb being maneuvered into a parking lot in the district of Bir al-Abed, inside Hezbollah’s so-called security square, where much of the leadership live and work. Hezbollah polices the square, cars are frequently pulled over, and strangers in the area can expect to be interrogated and only allowed to proceed when the answers satisfy militiamen. “Not much moves within that square without Hezbollah knowing,” says the Lebanese security source. “Considering Hezbollah’s guard is up at the moment, it was impressive they managed to get that car in.” Jabhat al-Nusra isn’t alone in possessing those skills. Palestinian and jihadist-aligned fighters in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon are also experienced car bombers, and last month fighters from a refugee camp near Sidon reportedly fought on the side of gunmen loyal to al-Assir in a two-day battle with the Lebanese Army. But whoever was behind the bombing has certainly added to the tension and foreboding that Lebanon is feeling today. |
AHMEDABAD: The BJP has approached the Election Commission seeking its intervention to stop the release of Bollywood film " Padmavati " without a pre-release screening by the Kshatriya community, saying "distortion of facts" in the movie will hurt their sentiments.Earlier, Shankersinh Vaghela , an influential Kshatriya leader and former chief minister of the state, had made an identical demanded, and warned that if it was released without the community's approval, there could be violence.Gujarat BJP spokesperson IK Jadeja said the party had received several representations from the Kshatriya community about "distortion of historical facts" in the film."The Election Commission should arrange for pre-release screening of the movie for select Kshatriya representatives to provide them a fair opportunity to prevent unnecessary tension ahead of Gujarat polls," Jadeja told reporters, adding a representation has been made to the poll panel to not allow the release of the film before that."The BJP also condemns the heinous attempt to link queen Padmavati of the Rajput (Kshatriya) community -- the contribution of which in the history of this country has been immense -- with Alauddin Khilji in the film," he said.Padmavati and Khilji had never met in real life, the BJP leader said.He said, in a representation to the Election Commission, the party has opposed its release as it will hurt the sentiments of the community members.Polling will be held in Gujarat in two phases on December 9 and 14, while the film, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and starring Deepika Padukone Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh , is slated to release on December 1.The opposition Congress said the ruling party was doing politics and trying to turn the film into a poll issue."Now that the elections are round the corner, you are writing to the EC asking it not to allow release of the movie. This is an attempt by the BJP to make it a poll issue," Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said.Rajasthan-based Rajput community group Karni Sena had opposed the film, alleging distortion of history, and vandalised its sets. Bhansali was attacked by the members of the outfit while shooting in Rajasthan |
New Zealand's government has announced plans to relax the regulatory rules surrounding commercial space ventures, in a move it hopes will help local outfits and attract launches to the country. In the short term, economic development minister Steven Joyce wants to make sure regulation doesn't get in the way as the Kiwis' home-grown Rocket Lab preps its first launches. All being well, Rocket Lab wants to light the blue touchpaper under its first rockets at its newly-secured launch facility on the North Island, at the Mahia Peninsula. The government says it's going to introduce an Outer Space and High Altitude Activities bill, sign a technology safeguards agreement with the US (now home to Rocket Labs' parent company), and join two United Nations initiatives: the Convention on Registration of Objects launched into Outer Space, and the Committee for the Peaceful Use of Outer Space. New Zealand's Ministry of Business will be in charge of the regime, and the minister will have the go-or-no-go power to license space activity. Rocket Lab launched its US presence in 2014 to attract American VC funding, and last year signed an agreement with NASA to get access to its resources. The company is no SpaceX: it's leaving the heavy lifting to others, instead working on a system to deliver large numbers of small, cheap satellites to space. Joyce expects the legislation to get through parliamentary committees during the second half of the year. ® |
Wrap-Up – Still without their high-scoring starting backcourt, the beat went on for the Wine and Gold – who cut Detroit’s 14-point fourth-quarter lead to just four but didn’t have enough firepower to close the deal, falling to Detroit, 104-97, on Saturday night at The Q. Cleveland was led by Jeremy Pargo’s 24-point performance. He scored nine of his team-high 24 in the fourth quarter, but Detroit’s Brandon Knight was a little bit better – netting 13 of his career-high 30 in the final period. Anderson Varejao started a new double-double string, notching 16 points, 13 boards, five assists and a pair of blocked shots. C.J. Miles added 15 points and Tyler Zeller pitched in with 13 points and eight boards off Byron Scott’s bench. Turning Point – The Central Division matchup was tied late in the third quarter and Cleveland trailed by just a half-dozen headed to the fourth. But Brandon Knight ignited a 12-2 run early in the final period that extended Detroit’s edge to two touchdowns, 88-74. The Cavs rallied and cut the Pistons’ lead to 101-97 late in the contest. But Knight and Tayshaun Prince sank free throws to put the game out of reach. Game Ball – Tyler Zeller – With Tristan Thompson struggling for the second straight night, Zeller was strong off the bench – going 6-for-11 from the floor and grabbing five of his eight rebounds off the offensive glass. The rookie from North Carolina also led both squads with three blocked shots. By the Numbers – 12.6 … scoring average for C.J. Miles over his last three games – including his season-high 15-point effort in Saturday’s loss to Detroit. Quotable – Tyler Zeller, breaking down the Cavaliers’ troubles during their five-game losing streak … “We’ve just got to put four quarters together, which we’ve struggled with all year. We have slow starts and then finish strong and vice versa. We’ve got to put four quarters together and be able to withstand runs.” |
But other religious workers are operating in a far more bare-bones manner, with whatever they managed to carry in their luggage. “You had missionary doctors parachuting in here doing amputations rather than setting or treating wounds because they knew their charter jet was leaving in two days and they would not be able to oversee follow-up,” said Dr. Scott Nelson, an American orthopedic surgeon and Adventist missionary, as he lifted a moaning man onto a soiled stretcher. “The community trusts us, but when other groups make shortsighted decisions it undermines everyone’s credibility,” he added. Dr. Nelson and other veteran missionaries faulted the new arrivals for frequently acting on their own instead of collaborating with more established missionary groups that plan on staying in Haiti for the long haul. It is tension, some experts say, that can arise from the differing reasons that missions have for being here. Photo “The new or short-term groups see themselves as being there to save souls first and lives second,” said Jonathan J. Bonk, director of the Overseas Ministries Study Center in New Haven. “The older, less conservative missions often see it the other way around.” But the new arrivals say they have a legitimate role to play as well. “Right now, with the situation being a disaster, we mostly focus on food and water and supporting the doctors; that’s our mission,” said Pat Harney, a spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology, which has several hundred health professionals and volunteer ministers in Haiti. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Some of them arrived on John Travolta’s Boeing 707, which he flew down loaded with tons of relief supplies, and when not doing relief work they sang classic rock songs at a crowded bar full of aid workers inside the United Nations compound. At the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince, where Scientologists in bright yellow T-shirts have assisted as volunteers, some have carried out what they call touch therapy, in which they say they realign patients’ nervous systems by touching them through their clothes. The hospital director, Dr. Alix Lassegne, said he told the group’s doctors to stick to traditional medicine and other volunteers to stay away from trying to convert anyone. “We had fractures, serious wounds, and there was no time for unconventional things,” Dr. Lassegne said. “I told them, as director of the hospital, in no way would I permit other activities.” Photo Missionaries have long filled a vacuum left by an impoverished and historically unstable government. While government officials have condemned the 10 Americans, most of them Baptists, who were arrested trying to take 33 Haitian children across the border without proper documentation, they have praised religious groups in general for their work. “Missionaries have always participated in the process of alleviating pain in this country,” said Patrick Delatour, a top government official. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content , updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. Christian missionaries run more than 2,000 primary schools in Haiti attended by about 600,000 students, roughly a third of the country’s school-age population, according to the Haitian Education Ministry. In the case of the Adventists in Carrefour, more than 2,000 children attend a cluster of Adventist schools — primary through university level — that sit on a sprawling campus of palm trees and tidy white buildings perched on a hilltop. “Even before the earthquake, this was a city of its own,” said Michel Toutian, a resident, 36, as he entered a huge tent city set up by the Adventists. “And the Adventists are the mayor, police, everything.” Todd Johnson, director of the Center for the Study of World Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, said there were about 1,700 missionaries permanently based in Haiti. The number of missionaries making short-term visits is more difficult to estimate, but some organizations say it is as high as 10,000. “The outpouring of compassion is heartwarming,” said Sarah Wilson, spokeswoman for Christian Aid, a British organization that receives much of its financing from church members and has a longstanding operation in Haiti. But she added: “People shouldn’t come down here for an experience. They should stay home and write a check.” |
On the evening of 22 May, Andy Burnham was at home watching Newsnight having just returned from a game of five-a-side football. When he was called by his friend Steve Rotheram, the mayor of Liverpool City Region, Burnham initially ignored his phone. “But then he called again and I realised it must be something important.” The Manchester Arena, where Rotheram’s daughters were that evening, had been targeted by a suicide bomber. “Like everybody, I felt sick to the pit of my stomach,” Burnham recalled when we spoke recently. “You feel it every time you hear of a terrorist attack, but to have one so close to home...” At the time of the attack, which killed 22 people, Burnham had only been in office for two weeks. The incident, the worst the UK had endured since the 7 July 2005 bombings, was a severe test of the Greater Manchester mayor’s leadership. But he was prepared. “On day one in the job I’d sat down with the chief constable and asked him outright: ‘Are we ready? Are we prepared for another terrorist attack?’” Burnham told me. “The reason I did that, I suppose, comes out of my background at shadow home... If you look back, a big theme of mine during that period was challenging Theresa May [then home secretary] about whether regional cities were as prepared as London for a terrorist attack.” He added: “I got assurances on day one and they were real assurances because Greater Manchester (GM) had been planning. The NHS had, in fact, planned for an attack on the arena a few weeks before. While I did feel sick to my stomach and anxious about what was happening, the strength of GM was immediately apparent to me.” Burnham described the city as “recovering” (the arena reopened with a concert on 9 September) and emphasised that it was “a long process”. “I’m meeting the families on a fairly regular basis. We’re beginning discussions about appropriate ways to create a memorial to the victims.” The mayor has established a new commission on tackling violent extremism, led by Labour councillor Rishi Shori, the leader of Bury Council, and believes that Prevent, the government’s counter-terrorism programme, is critically flawed. “It doesn’t have the confidence of the people it needs to have at the moment. If the flow of information isn’t coming up from families and communities and faith organisations then it won’t work”. The last time I interviewed Burnham, in August 2015, he was struggling to put a brave face on his inevitable defeat to Jeremy Corbyn in the Labour leadership election. In the ensuing period, Burnham was pilloried by former allies for his subsequent loyalty to Corbyn (he did not join the mass shadow cabinet resignation in June 2016). But as mayor, the 47-year-old former health secretary is a politician reborn. On the morning I was due to meet Burnham, a fire on the London-Manchester line had halted all trains. We arranged to speak by phone. “Devolution can really change politics, it could begin to provide an answer to the alienation we’ve seen growing over many years and that culminated in the EU referendum result,” the mayor told me as he reflected on his opening months in office. Burnham, who was MP for Leigh from 2001-17, and previously a special adviser to culture secretary Chris Smith, spoke disdainfully of his former workplace. “The Westminster system is set up institutionally to promote point-scoring, isn't it? It’s built into the foundations of the place. It is quite liberating to leave that totally behind and just focus on place and people and making a difference.” One of Burnham’s policy priorities has been tackling homelessness in Greater Manchester (which has quadrupled since 2010 to 4,428 people). He donates 15 per cent of his £110,000 salary to a homelessness fund and will do so as long as he is in office. Though Burnham has vowed to end rough sleeping in the region by 2020, he conceded that “the problem seems to be getting worse”. “But my commitment doesn’t diminish. I’m not going into that mode of saying: ‘It’s all somebody else’s fault’”. On the morning we spoke, Burnham wrote to all public bodies demanding “immediate steps” to address the crisis. The mayor spoke of his desire for further devolution, such as the transfer of the welfare budget. “Steve [Rotheram] and I were in New York earlier in the summer, with mayors from the US and Europe. And in the States, where there’s a long tradition of mayors, there’s a clearer analysis that Washington has always been dysfunctional, to a degree, and that it’s become more so under Trump and, therefore, change is going to be driven by city regions.” In the case of the UK, Burnham believes that “our antiquated, London-centric system” is similarly cumbersome. “The Brexit debate has brought that out and I feel strongly that it’ll be city regions that drive the quickest and most progressive change in the future ... Manchester has an incredible history of radical forward-thinking, of social disruption, industrial innovation. We’re being absolutely true to our roots in being at the forefront of this movement towards devolution.” I am reminded of the words of Factory Records founder Tony Wilson: “This is Manchester, we do things differently here.” Burnham joined Labour as a 14-year-old having been “radicalised” by the 1984-85 miners’ strike. On 4 May this year, he was elected mayor by a landslide, winning 63.4 per cent of the vote and achieving support in Conservative areas such as Bolton West and Altrincham & Sale West. I asked Burnham, who finished second to Corbyn in the 2015 leadership election (winning 19 per cent to his opponent's 59.5 per cent), whether he ever contemplated how Labour would have performed under him. “No, that’s in the past, as far as I’m concerned,” he replied. “I feel I’m in the right job at the right time. I genuinely don’t spend time on that.” Burnham did not join Corbyn at the victory rally that followed his mayoral election, explaining that he was too busy (he was later pictured drinking champagne with his team at The Refuge restaurant). At this year’s Labour conference, Burnham, like his London counterpart Sadiq Khan, has not been accorded a speaking slot. “Well, it’s a matter for the party and the powers that be ... I’ve always respected that,” Burnham said when I raised the subject. But he added: “What I would say, and it’s no divine right of mine to be there, is that if elected mayors aren’t to be given any role, I think the party needs to think long and hard about how it demonstrates its commitment to devolution. “And its commitment, more directly, to the rest of the country, the regions. I’ve criticised the party in the past for being too London-centric and I will always challenge it. There is a tendency to be London-centric in the Labour Party and that tendency needs to be constantly challenged.” Four of Labour’s keynote speakers represent north London seats that border each other: Corbyn (Islington North), Diane Abbott (Hackney North and Stoke Newington), Emily Thornberry (Islington South) and Keir Starmer (Holborn and St Pancras). A fifth, shadow chancellor John McDonnell, is another London MP (representing Hayes and Harlington). Burnham did not disguise his displeasure with the arrangement. “Obviously the shadow cabinet needs a prominent role, but Angela Rayner [shadow education secretary], what a fantastic voice. Andrew Gwynne [shadow communities secretary], what a fantastic ambassador for the party, rooted in his home region. Debbie Abrahams [shadow work and pensions secretary] doing tremendous work. “I’m all in favour of more grassroots involvement, and fewer set-piece speeches, I understand why the party may want that. But I think it is important that the voices of all regions ring out at conference. I don’t think it’s mine or anyone’s right to expect a platform but I do think the party needs to demonstrate both its commitment to devolution and to the regions more broadly. If it’s not to do that through inviting someone like me, then it needs to do it a different way.” Burnham also warned the Conservative government not to marginalise the UK’s regions during the Brexit negotiations. “After a lot of challenges, we’ve finally been offered a meeting with David Davis [the Brexit secretary], this is Steve Rotheram and I, and the Teesside mayor [Ben Houchen], on the Friday after the Tory conference. Well, OK, I’m grateful for the meeting but that isn’t a good enough response, I have to say.” He continued: “There could be trade-offs here, couldn’t there? The City of London is something that the government will want to protect; are other industries going to pay the price for that?” With a view to strengthening the regions’ voice, Burnham is discussing the formation of a “council of the north” which would assemble twice a year. Burnham backed Labour’s support for EU single market and customs union membership during a “transitional period” but emphasised: “We also have to demonstrate, and continually stress, that we respect the result and will respond to the concerns that clearly were articulated by many Labour voters up and down the country in the referendum.” I end by asking Burnham whether he would ever consider returning to Westminster to seek a national leadership role. “I don’t see this as a stepping stone,” he insisted. “People might think, ‘he’s just biding his time up in Manchester’. I don’t think of it like that at all. For me, this is a new chapter in my political life, which I’m very fortunate to have. I’m devoting myself to it wholeheartedly, I don’t do anything by halves. I’m not really a tactical politician in that way. If I do something I try and embrace it wholeheartedly. I’m doing it in that spirit and I hope to be here for the long-term.” |
First minister sidelines quest for second independence vote in favour of attack on Tory austerity in SNP manifesto A second Scottish independence referendum should be held after the Brexit process is complete, Nicola Sturgeon has said, signalling a significant change in her party’s constitutional strategy. The first minister launched the Scottish National party’s general election manifesto in Perth, a key Conservative target, on Tuesday and sidelined her quest for a second independence vote in favour of an attack on Tory austerity. The manifesto made a series of promises to oppose Westminster cuts to government spending, welfare payments and tax rates, to modernise the UK’s voting system by introducing proportional representation, to protect pensions and to press for a UK-wide new 50p top rate of income tax. In a key passage of the document, she appeared to drop her demands made in March for a second independence referendum to be held between autumn 2018 and spring 2019. She had said she wanted the vote to be held once the terms of Brexit were clear but, if possible, before a final deal was signed. The document launched on Tuesday states: “At the end of the Brexit process, when the final terms of the deal are known, it is right that Scotland should have a choice about our future.” In Glasgow East, the election is between Sturgeon and May Read more That suggests Sturgeon now accepts she cannot stage the referendum until after the UK has formally left the EU, even if popular support for a vote reaches the large majority she needs to force Theresa May to drop her opposition to such a move. The prime minister has said it could take several years after the UK signs article 50 in 2019 for the Brexit process to be completed, and has made clear she sees no case for another referendum. Sturgeon in her speech and the manifesto put repeated emphasis on the contribution SNP MPs could make at Westminster to opposing austerity and increasing public spending by the UK government over the next five years, again implying she was not certain she could stage or win a referendum. Referring to Labour’s low level of popular support in Scotland and the continuing gap between the Tories and Labour at UK level, she said she believed May would win on 8 June. “Only the SNP has the strength in Scotland to stand up to the Tories,” she said. “So we face, I think, another Tory government but it’s a Tory government which has had, I think, its vulnerabilities exposed in this campaign, so let’s make sure we grasp that opportunity to send strong Scottish voices to keep that government in check.” Sturgeon’s original position on a second referendum was heavily influenced by her predecessor Alex Salmond, who argued last year that holding a fast referendum while the Brexit process was under way was essential. He argued winning a yes vote before Brexit would reinforce Scotland’s case for remaining in the EU after independence and allow the SNP to use the resentment of pro-EU Scottish voters to build up the yes vote into a majority. With SNP ministers now bracing for the loss of up to 15 seats at the election, the manifesto sought to bolster the SNP argument that wins in Scottish Westminster seats on 8 June would reinforce the party’s mandate to stage a new referendum. It said that would offer the SNP a “triple lock”, since the SNP had won the 2016 Holyrood election and a Scottish parliament vote in March backing Sturgeon’s spring 2019 timetable. Scottish public opinion has moved against independence and remained against a fast referendum, with the yes vote falling to 43% in some polls and many SNP supporters hostile to Scotland rejoining the EU. The SNP’s popularity has also fallen to as low as 41%, from a high of 55% in April 2015, the month before the SNP landslide in the last Westminster election. Rival candidates this time say Sturgeon’s stance on Brexit and independence has alienated previous SNP voters, who are now backing the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Questioned after her speech about her change in stance, Sturgeon confirmed she no longer had clear date in mind. She said the central principle now was clarity about the exact terms of Brexit, not a set timetable. Sidestepping questions on what she would do if May again refused to discuss a referendum or Sturgeon’s demands to take part in the Brexit talks, the first minister claimed she had set the original timescale because May had said the terms of Brexit would be clear before article 50 was signed in March 2019. “If that changes then of course we will have to consider our timing in light of that,” she said. “But the key point of principle for me is clarity at the end of the process which allows people to make a genuinely informed choice about the future of our country.” The Guardian view on the election in Scotland: a pivotal poll for the SNP | Editorial Read more Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tory leader, said Sturgeon had tried her usual trick of trying to hide her support for independence. “Nobody is fooled any more. Strip away the bluster and it’s written down in black and white: she wants to drag Scotland back to another referendum by as early as next autumn,” Davidson said. Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, said: “The SNP must think we are stupid. They barely mentioned independence today but we know independence will be their top priority once the election is over. At every election they pretend they are fighting for the greater good but all they ever fight for is independence.” Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, claimed Sturgeon had again confirmed a referendum was her “number one priority”. Dugdale said SNP claims that it could meaningfully oppose austerity were hollow. “Nicola Sturgeon can talk about opposing austerity all she likes, but the reality is that the SNP has cut £1.5bn from local services like schools and care of the elderly,” Dugdale said. “She can talk about a 50p top rate of income tax all she likes, but the reality is that the SNP voted against this in the Scottish parliament.” The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the SNP’s proposals for £120bn of extra public spending and investment across the UK were less ambitious than Labour’s plans, involving much lower levels of funding. They were more generous on welfare, the economics thinktank said, but that would require further tax rises, particularly on banks, larger companies and higher earners, and would also mean more borrowing. The IFS said the SNP planned “to go further than Labour in reversing planned benefit cuts – ending the cash-terms freeze to working-age benefits and revoking restrictions on tax credits and universal credit to the first two children in a family, for instance.” |
As a journalist who takes issues surrounding food production seriously, I too have things that drive me crazy. At the top of my list are agribusiness advocates such as Kopperud (and, more recently, Steve Sexton of Freakonomics) who dismiss well-thought-out concerns about today's dysfunctional food production system with the old saw that organic farming can't save the world. They persist in repeating this as an irrefutable fact, even as one scientific study after another concludes the exact opposite: not only that organic can indeed feed nine billion human beings but that it is the only hope we have of doing so. "There isn't enough land to feed the nine billion people" is one tired argument that gets trotted out by the anti-organic crowd, including Kopperud. That assertion ignores a 2007 study led by Ivette Perfecto, of the University of Michigan, showing that in developing countries, where the chances of famine are greatest, organic methods could double or triple crop yields. "My hope is that we can finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea that you can't produce enough food through organic agriculture," Perfecto told Science Daily at the time. Too bad solid, scientific research hasn't been enough to drive that nail home. A 2010 United Nations study (PDF) concluded that organic and other sustainable farming methods that come under the umbrella of what the study's authors called "agroecology" would be necessary to feed the future world. Two years earlier, a U.N. examination (PDF) of farming in 24 African countries found that organic or near-organic farming resulted in yield increases of more than 100 percent. Another U.N.-supported report entitled "Agriculture at a Crossroads" (PDF), compiled by 400 international experts, said that the way the world grows food will have to change radically to meet future demand. It called for governments to pay more attention to small-scale farmers and sustainable practices -- shooting down the bigger-is-inevitably-better notion that huge factory farms and their efficiencies of scale are necessary to feed the world. Suspicious of the political motives of the U.N.? Well, there's a study that came out in 2010 from the all-American National Research Council. Written by professors from seven universities, including the University of California, Iowa State University, and the University of Maryland, the report finds that organic farming, grass-fed livestock husbandry, and the production of meat and crops on the same farm will be needed to sustain food production in this country. The Pennsylvania-based Rodale Institute is an unequivocal supporter of all things organic. But that's no reason to dismiss its 2008 report "The Organic Green Revolution" (PDF), which provides a concise argument for why a return to organic principles is necessary to stave off world hunger, and which backs the assertion with citations of more than 50 scientific studies. |
24.10.2017, 22:16 by Mare Do you ever wondered how much magnetic field garbage is around you? This is cheap and easy build to measure magnetic noise or to compare which switching supply is more sh*tty. Near field probes are nothing new. It’s easy to find one via web search. Here is one good reference for H and E field probes which I found via google image search: What I am describing here is shown on the left above in the first row. I took regular RG58, about 30cm (1 foot) long. I removed outer isolation and shield exactly at the middle using sharp knife. I was trying not to cut too deep keeping inner dielectric in one piece. Here is sketch for reference: After few minutes I got clean gap in outer coaxial shield: After this preparation it was time to source some broken power supply (switcher). I as looking for common mode choke, which is usually in the primary side of many DC/DC or AC/DC power supplies. What I wanted is smaller choke, so I looked in smaller power supplies. It is also possible to wind such common mode choke by winding some 20-50 windings of bifilar wire around ferrite ring. Such rings are also part of any switcher. Next thing was housing. I took regular 1,6mm double sided FR4 and cut few pieces for simple soldered shielded box. I drilled two holes for magnetic pickup side and one hole for output cable. All tiny bits and pieces described above are shown in this photo: Coax with gap was folded into the loop and shields at both ends were soldered to the FR4 through two holes. Diameter for holes for FR4 is 5mm: Same connection was repeated at the other side with single hole. I soldered about 2m of RG58 with BNC connector. This side will be connected to oscillocope or spectrum analyser. To solder the coax to the hole I first put the coax through the hole, and pushed the shield against the copper wall to expand like skirt of a dancer. Then I cut excess shield away and solder this to the copper wall: Then I soldered both walls with coax cables to the base and connected coax cables to the choke. At the end I soldered FR4 walls all around to close the box. And finally it was time to test the probe. I connected the magnetic probe to the oscilloscope. The loop was placed in front of the DMM display: And the oscilloscope measured signal sequence for driving the 7-segment display: Then I put the probe around the AC/DC switching supply: And the result: And finally, I put small M6 screw in the lathe and turned few hundred turns of enamel wire. This coil was then connected to the power supply with the current limit 0,5A. I generated random pulses and measured signal picked by loop. I put the loop into the direction of the source coil. Both were on axis and the measured signal was: The RMS of the measured signal was above 200mV. Then I turned pickup loop perpendicular to the source coil to check if there is any difference. The signal should drop and it really did: The RMS droped about four times. It looks the probe is working and I could measure some signals from other known and unknown sources. For any questions or comments please use form at the end of this page. Thank you for reading! |
The Labrador Retriever is officially Britain's top dog – while the Chinese Crested, various Bulldogs and the Poodle rank among the least loved As many people own dogs as own cats in Britain (25% each), but when you add in all the people without pets they're easily the most loved animal in the country. Of the 60,000 YouGov members that have contributed data on the 215 (and growing) animals in YouGov Profiles, 16% have given a positive rating to dogs, ahead of tigers and elephants (tied at 13%) and dolphins and cats (tied at 12%). Not only do we collect data on animals, we go down to even finer detail, with data on 356 dog breeds and 64 cat breeds overall. A new YouGov Profiles analysis of over 44,000 YouGov members who've contributed data on dog breeds reveals the nation's most and least loved breeds. The top dog is the Labrador Retriever, known for short as the Labrador, or by colour as the black, yellow or chocolate Lab. It's positivity score (the strength of positive sentiment among those who have rated it) is two points higher than the classic British herding breed, the Border Collie, and the Golden Retriever, famed for its friendliness (both scoring 67). The top ranking dogs are mainly mid-sized working or herding dogs, often originating in Britain. The Alaskan Husky is the only real exception, known for its efficiency as a sled dog in North America; the other being the Golden Retriever, a gun dog but still hailing from Britain and Europe. The dogs with the least positivity (in fact all ten at the very bottom of the 356 breeds are in negative territory) tend to be smaller dogs, either of the toy variety or notorious for their bad temper. The least liked, by a long way, is the Chinese Crested, a breed that comes either hairless with a kind of mullet or in the "Powder Puff" (with fur) variety. It scores -30, well below the Bullboxer Pit with -21 positivity. Along with the Bullboxer Pit, the Pit Bull, Miniature Bull Terrier and Bullboxer Staff are all relatively disliked, perhaps due to negative press for causing injury. In terms of actual ownership, YouGov Profiles data shows the Labrador as the most widely-owned, followed by the Alsatian, Border Collie and Jack Russell Terrier. |
Hello, My name is Mike. My Mum, Mary was responsible for this blog. Mary sadly passed away from lung cancer on the 16th of October. She was 58 years old. She had been painting five dollar notes for 6 years. It gave her a lot of pleasure to paint the five dollar notes and “release them into the wild”. When her art started appearing on numerous Australian and international websites, she was overjoyed. She was very happy to receive emails and comments and requests for five dollar notes. As is plain to see, she was a brilliant artist and incredibly creative. She brought a lot of joy to me, to her friends and everyone who saw her work online. There will be no more five dollar notes posted on this blog. Mike |
Telltale Games is bringing back three of its best series. Things will kick off with a second season of the developer’s take on Batman, the first episode of a planned five-part series will debut on August 8th. The first season of the game wrapped up last December, and was a surprisingly refreshing take on the Bruce Wayne / Batman dynamic. Telltale says that returning players will be able to carry over their decisions from the first season into the new story. Here’s how the studio describes the setup for season 2: In this latest chapter, both Bruce Wayne and Batman will be forced into precarious new roles. The Riddler has returned to terrorize Gotham City, but his gruesome puzzles merely foreshadow an even greater crisis. With the arrival of a ruthless federal agent and the return of a still nascent Joker, Batman must navigate uneasy alliances while Bruce Wayne undertakes a perilous series of deceptions. Which of Batman's new allies will you choose to trust? And how deep into the darkness will you let Bruce descend? Looking further out, Telltale also revealed that a fourth — and final — season of its critically acclaimed Walking Dead series is also in the works, and is expected to debut some time next year. While the game’s third season went in a somewhat different direction, introducing a brand-new lead character, Telltale says that the final chapter will once again put players in the role of series heroine Clementine as she makes her way through the grim and grisly world of the undead. Also coming next year is the long-awaited second season of The Wolf Among Us. The series — an adaptation of the comic Fables — debuted way back in 2014, and introduced an intriguing detective story set in a dark fairytale world. Telltale says the new season will introduce a “fresh” storyline, but will once again star the pair of Bigby Wolf and Snow White. The studio describes it as “a standalone product separate from season one.” |
Valve Corporation is a bank, issuing its own proprietary currency. This currency is managed through the Steam Wallet system, and backed by the full faith and credit of Valve: its ability to continue to afford to keep Steam services online, and its continued possession of the legal right to issue keys for the games and virtual goods on its service. (That is, if Steam shut down tomorrow, or its product listing emptied out, your Steam Wallet balance would be worthless.) When you fund your Steam Wallet, the money you spend funding it might as well cease to exist; it becomes a few dollars in a corporate bank account, which Valve can spend freely or invest to earn returns. The money in your Steam Wallet is actually just a promise Valve is making you that, in good time, your money will be repaid in goods purchasable on Steam. This promise has no expiration date, and bears no interest, just like “real” currency. However, it differs from the currencies of the “real world” in two main ways: You cannot convert your Steam Wallet currency back to real currency, at all. If you try to use external services (selling gifts, selling accounts) to get your money back out, Valve can and will punish you for violating the Steam Terms of Service. Valve is a privately-held company that doesn’t publicly issue financial statements or publicly sell stock, so you can’t easily monitor or influence its operation. Valve can, and does, exploit these properties of its ecosystem to extract profit, through a process of designing a platform that wants to have money fed into it, to assess fees to support business processes we have no insight into, and for which we have no justification save Valve’s word. Say you’ve somehow ended up with $60 worth of currency in your Steam Wallet. Here are the different ways you can spend that $60: You decide to buy a $60 video game. Valve is tight-lipped about how much of a revenue share they take from Steam publishers, but Notch and THQ bankruptcy paperwork suggest it’s about 30%. (This also lines up with the revenue share on the two big mobile video game stores: the Apple App Store and Google Play.) Valve issues a Steam key (for no cost), marks down their Wallet debt by $18, and reimburses the publisher for $42. So far, this is nothing too bad; Xbox Live, PSN, and the Nintendo eShop all work basically the same way. However, Valve also has thriving markets in virtual goods off of which they make money: You decide to buy $60 worth of Dota 2 hats. Valve forces you to use Steam Wallet to purchase items for Dota 2 on the Steam Workshop, and takes – as the developer of the game, which is theoretically being funded by the plethora of available items; and the $40 million virtual program sold for the world finals every year; and ticket income; and the income from the merch booths which are stripped clean for keys to be resold on secondary markets; and the major tournaments worldwide which all charge fees through Valve to attend virtually, but I digress – a 75% revenue share. Valve adds items to your inventory (for no cost), marks down their Wallet debt by $45, and reimburses the item designer for $15. You decide to buy $52.17 worth of Steam Trading Cards. Valve forces you to use Steam Wallet to purchase items on the Community Market. Valve adds a 5% “Steam Transaction Fee” (STF) on top, notionally to cover the cost of maintaining the service and preventing fraud; they also add another 10%, which goes to the developer of the item. Valve moves items to your inventory from another user’s inventory (for no cost), marks down their Wallet debt by $2.61, reimburses the developer $5.22, and moves the other $52.17 of Wallet debt to another user. All of these markdowns are entirely disconnected from the cost of the labor Valve has to invest in the process; additionally, Valve reduces its exposure to the risk of producing many of these items by using others’ labor wherever possible. Valve sets up official contests and regularly introduces Workshop items created by third parties to their games’ official item sets; these items’ designers are not paid a wage by Valve, only a revenue share. Designers bear the risk of designs which don’t recoup the time invested, as well as the cost of self-employment tax, business expenses like software and hardware purchases, and benefits an employer would usually provide like health insurance and a retirement program. Steam Trading Cards (and badges, wallpapers, emoticons, etc.) are made by the developers who make their associated games; Valve pays them only 10% of the total trade volume of these items, and tries to lean on developers to go to the effort by claiming that the presence of Trading Cards sells additional titles. The trading mechanics that have been added to Steam don’t actually create a “community”; they’re just progressively more elaborate schemes to drive trade volume – to get users to pump money into the Steam Wallet system (where it’s gone forever) and then leisurely write off as much as possible of the Wallet balance created. For example: if you own a game on Steam, only half of the Trading Cards associated with it will ever drop while you play the game. Say a full set of trading cards is worth $2 before fees. Every person who tries to finish a set of cards through the Market will put $1.15 into Steam Wallet (to buy half of the set): $0.10 of this will go to the developer of the game; $0.05 will be written off by Valve in STF; and of the remaining $1, somewhere between $0.30 (Valve’s 30% share on a third-party game sale) and $1 (Valve’s 100% share of a first-party game or item sale) will be recouped by Valve in fees later. During recent Steam seasonal sales, Valve created new lines of Trading Cards – for which they are the developer, so they recover 15% fees, rather than 5%, off of every trade – and used them to incentivize spending money during the sale (at the rate of 1 free card drop for every $10 spent). Despite the fact that selling this card looks like a discount at Valve’s expense (get $11 worth of games for only $10!), this discount is actually paid for by another user through the Community Market trading mechanism (get $11 worth of games for only $10, plus $1 another user paid for you, plus $0.15 that disappeared into Valve’s pocket!) To add insult to injury, unused Trading Cards from these sales disappear at the end of the sale – and, until then, serve as a persistent reminder to the user that they should be spending money to finish the set before they [dramatic music plays] lose the chance forever. Finally, as of this writing, Valve is running a promotion in advance of the Holiday Sale 2014: an auction of Steam games. These Steam games were “donated” in lots of 100 by developers – i.e., “Valve got their permission to not reimburse them for generating 100 Steam keys” – and are being auctioned for Gems, a brand new commodity. The top bidder on an item at the end of each 45-minute auction round gets the item for “free” and is then removed from bidding: after 84 of the 100 rounds of bidding, a $4.99 item (the Sanctum 2 Complete Pack) is selling for 6,500 Gems; prices were substantially higher a few days ago. Users can obtain Gems by destroying their existing Community Market items, or by buying sacks of 1,000 Gems on the Community Market. Gems currently sell directly for $1.17 a sack ($1.35 including Valve’s 15% fee), but the most efficient item in my possession is a Kerbal Space Program wallpaper that would cost only $0.87 a sack. So, a $4.99 item could cost me at least $5.65 in Gems, $6.50 after the 15% fees to buy all those wallpapers. After the dust settles from the auction, Valve still gets their 30%: buying Sanctum 2 with Gems from those wallpapers gives Valve $0.28, and the developer of KSP $0.57, immediately in fees; later, Valve recoups somewhere between 30% and 100% of the $5.65 debt I transfer to another user. Valve’s cut is fatter if you buy Gems directly: not only are they more expensive than many Market items, but Valve will claim the full 15% in fees, pushing them up to nearly 40% of revenue. The auction allows Valve to turn a $4.99 game sale – which would normally earn them $1.50 in net revenue – into somewhere between $1.98 and $8.74 (if I buy the game with Gems I bought directly, then the user I buy them from turns around and spends their Wallet balance on Portal 2), through a system that decouples the game from those who earn royalties on its sale, and creates a price increase through complicated, opaque pricing and artificial scarcity. If the auction is successful, the mass destruction of Community Market items by users to generate Gems will also help to decrease the supply of Community Market items, creating a price hike and increasing market trade volume even after the promotion ends. Even if this auction is an aberration, it’s becoming clear that Steam is sprouting more and more abstruse systems by which to separate users from their money, running on labor and royalties donated by external developers and designers. At the same time, through systems like Greenlight and user list curation, Valve seems to be attempting to offload the work of maintaining Steam as a video game storefront to the unpaid labor of gamers and journalists. What does the future hold for Valve’s business model? Will there be anything left beyond a volunteer-run virtual consignment shop where money just disappears, never to return? Thanks to clockworkworlds (Austin Walker) for letting me bounce ideas and an earlier version of this post off of him. |
With six regular season games left for the Heat and the standings so close in the fight for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, it's easy to get caught up in the now. But where does this Heat team rank in the 28 years of the franchise as it prepares for the playoffs? Here are some interesting numbers I found using basketball-reference.com's franchise encyclopedia: > When it comes to piling up victories, this is already tied for the 12th-winningest team in franchise history. The furthest this Heat team can climb is 50 regular season wins, which would make it only the 10th team in club history to accomplish that feat (the 2011-12 NBA title team won only 46 games in a shortened season). > Of the 12 previous teams to win at least 44 games, three won the NBA title, two lost in the Finals, two lost in the Eastern Conference Finals, one lost in the Eastern Conference semis and four were bounced in the first round of the playoffs. > Only one Heat team which won fewer than 44 games -- the 2003-04 Heat -- advanced past the first round. Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem were rookies on that team. > When it comes to pace, this Heat team (93.6) has the seventh-best in franchise history -- better than all three championship teams -- and the highest since the 1993-94 team led by coach Kevin Loughery that finished 42-40 and lost to the Hawks 3-2 in the first round. > This Heat team ranks 15th out of 28 in both offensive (105.6) and defensive rating (104.3). Relative to the league, this Heat team ranks 13th in defense (-2.0) and 15th on offense (-0.7). So, basically, it's middle of the pack in terms of offense and defense. > When it comes to shooting percentage, this Heat team (.469) is tied with the 2011-12 title team for sixth-best in franchise history. Of the five Heat teams that shot better, two won the NBA title (2012-13, .496) and (2005-06, .478), two lost in the NBA Finals (2013-14, .501) and (2010-11, .481), and one (2004-05, .486) lost in the Conference Finals. > The Heat's .337 three-point shooting percentage is the sixth-worst in franchise history. And that's after the Heat led the NBA in three-point shooting (102-of-251, .406) for the month of March. > This is the second-best rebounding team in franchise history (44.1), only the 1993-94 Heat (44.4) led by Rony Seikaly were better. Overall, this year's team is the best defensive rebounding team in Heat history (34.4). > The 6.6 blocks per game this Heat team is averaging is the best in franchise history and only the third in club history to average at least six blocks per game. The others (1999-00 and 1998-99) were led by Alonzo Mourning. > The 98.5 points the Heat is giving up on defense are the ninth-most in franchise history and the opposing field goal percentage (.442) ranks 16th out of 28. > The 7.6 three-pointers allowed per game by this Heat team are tied for the third-most allowed in club history. Of course, it's a new era for three-point shooting and two more recent teams 2013-14 (8.5) and 2014-15 (8.1) gave up more threes and at a higher shooting percentage than this team. > Individually, center Hassan Whiteside is having a Top 10 statistical season in several categories in Heat history. Rookie Josh Richardson is also up there for his three-point shooting. -- Whiteside's NBA's best (94.4) defensive rating -- a full-point better than the Spurs' Kawhi Leonard (95.4) -- would be the second-best mark in franchise history behind only Mourning's 92.9 rating which netted him Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1998-99. -- Whiteside's current 4.9 defensive win shares rank 10th all-time. -- Whiteside's 3.7 blocks per game are tied with Mourning for the second-best in franchise history and his 11.8 rebounds per game would tie Seikaly for the highest marks in franchise history. -- Whiteside's 251 blocks rank second all-time in Heat history behind Mourning's club record of 294 in 1999-2000. -- Assuming he doesn't start throwing up bricks left and right, Whiteside's .614 field goal percentage is going to trump the club record of .601 set by Shaquille O'Neal in 2004-05. -- Whiteside's 579 defense rebounds rank sixth all-time in franchise history and he's within reach to pass Seikaly's team record of 627 defensive rebounds. Whiteside trails Seikaly by only 48 defensive rebounds with six to go. -- Whiteside's 792 total rebounds rank fourth-most in a season in Heat history behind Brian Grant's 837 in 2002-03 and Seikaly's 846 in 1992-93 and team-high 934 in 1991-92. -- Richardson's .484 three-point shooting percentage this season ranks third all-time behind Jon Sundvold (.522) in 1988-89 and Jason Kapono (.514) 2006-07. -- Among Heat rookie three-point shooters, Richardson ranks fifth all-time in makes behind Rasual Butler (50), Khalid Reeves (67), Daequan Cook (79) and Mario Chalmers (114). -- Wade's current 31.9 usage percentage would be the eighth-highest in franchise history behind six other seasons by Wade and one by LeBron James (32.0) in 2011-12. |
Apparently today is Apple software update day — iOS 6.1 just rolled out, and now second- and third-generation Apple TVs are receiving an over-the-air update as well. The biggest new feature is probably the addition of Bluetooth keyboard support. While it's easy enough to search for content if you have an iPad or iPhone, users stuck with Apple's standard remote have a much tougher time. Now, any Bluetooth keyboard should work with the Apple TV, making content searching much faster. Apple's also touting some improvements to iTunes in the Cloud and the "Up Next" content queuing feature that it introduced in iTunes 11. Up Next support was actually added back in November along with iTunes 11, but it sounds like it has been further refined with this update. Our Apple TV is currently updating, and we'll have more details on these new changes as soon as it is ready. The software update is available to download directly to your Apple TV now. Update: The updated Apple TV software actually supports iTunes in the Cloud — so now users who aren't signed up for iTunes Match will still be able to see and listen to all of their purchased iTunes music, just as they can for purchased video content already. |
Halifax Mayor Mike Savage says he’s “comfortable” a city block sold to a developer will now carry the name of a telecommunications company. Rogers Communications announced Wednesday it acquired naming rights to an outdoor plaza at the Nova Centre, a million-square-foot complex that includes the new Halifax Convention Centre, office space and a hotel. “The synergy of putting together a public and private development has probably given us the advantage in terms of cost,” Savage said. “It would have cost more to just build a convention centre without being part of a $500 million-plus project.” Branding the outdoor venue — which will now be called Rogers Square — is part of the telecom’s push to make bigger inroads in a province traditionally dominated by Bell Aliant and EastLink Communications. But it could cause a stir reminiscent to a debate that engulfed Toronto when the SkyDome was renamed the Rogers Centre. READ MORE: Downtown Halifax businesses lose bid to fast track claims against Nova Centre The Halifax plaza – it will be surrounded on both sides and above by the Nova Centre – was previously part of Grafton Street, a downtown public thoroughfare running parallel to the base of the Halifax Citadel. In a private meeting three years ago, Halifax council voted to sell the one-block section of Grafton to Argyle Developments Inc., the developer behind the Nova Centre. The sale defied the city’s own urban planning rules, which cautioned against merging street blocks. “In the past, streets have been closed and blocks have been consolidated to enable large scale development projects,” the municipal planning strategy says. “The traditional street grid provides a high level of connectivity and is an important characteristic of the downtown.” In fact, the city’s planning playbook points out that the Cogswell Interchange, a massive concrete traffic structure dividing downtown from the city’s north end, is set to be torn down to restore a more “desirable pattern of smaller scaled streets and blocks.” Still, council took the extraordinary step of declaring the street “surplus to municipal needs” and sold it for $1.9 million. Now Argyle Developments has sold the naming rights to the block. WATCH: Halifax mayor dons deadmau5 head to promote Canada 150 concert Joe Ramia, president of Argyle Developments, would not disclose details of the branding deal. “That we can’t discuss. That’s confidential,” he said. “We bought the street from the city a few years ago. It is on private land.” Ramia added: “There isn’t really a public stake in this building. Basically the convention centre has a lease for 25 years. It’s all private money that’s in this development.” The $164-million convention centre, part of the Nova Centre development, is cost-shared between the city, the province and Ottawa. But Savage said that although a “big chunk” of the development is the convention centre, he said there is a large private component as well. “Those details are between the developer and his customer,” he said of the naming rights deal. READ MORE: Opening for Halifax’s Nova Centre delayed again In addition to naming the public plaza, which will host outdoor festivals and events, Rogers will be the Nova Centre’s telecom provider, outfitting the building with thousands of kilometres of secure fibre technology and providing free Wi-Fi for visitors. Meanwhile, the new convention centre is slated to open in December, with the Liberal Party of Canada holding its national convention at the new facility in April and the Conservative Party of Canada booked for August. “Those are all 3,000-plus conventions and that’s the beauty of this for us,” Savage said. “We couldn’t have hosted the national Liberal or Conservative conventions before. “We didn’t have the capacity and that’s what this building does for us,” he said. “On top of that we can do smaller conventions stacked together, which was not possible to do in the old convention centre.” The burst of development activity in Halifax hasn’t been without controversy. Surrounding businesses have complained about the dust and disruption caused by the massive construction projects, with some pulling up stakes and moving. |
There have been rumors for a while now, but at a Flyers season ticket holder event on Tuesday night, a more official confirmation was made: the Flyers will have a third jersey next season. The Reebok catalog previously indicated that the Flyers would be sporting a new alternate jersey this coming year, but this is some actual confirmation. Shawn Tilger is the team's COO of business operations. The Flyers last introduced a third jersey (excluding 2010 and 2012 when they wore special jerseys for the Winter Classic) in 2008-09, when they first brought back their current home orange jerseys. That switched to the primary in 2009-10 and the old black alternate became the alternate. They wound up ditching the black after that season. Prior to that, the Flyers wore that God-awful orange jersey with the 3D crest from 2002-07. From 1997 to 2001, they wore black for the first time, introducing an alternate jersey that was the same as their then-primary jerseys, just with swapped colors. The safe bet would be that the Flyers would go black for this new alternate, but who knows. What would you like to see? |
If you strapped Bill Clinton to a polygraph (or some lie detector that can’t be fooled by the Clintons)—I suspect he, too, might confess to a preference for Vladimir Putin over Barack Obama. Mr. Clinton had been appropriately scathing, in 2008, about Obama’s mythical status in the media. A “fairy tale,” he called the current president. However, his wife and her supporters on The Hill and in media have ruled that any remotely realistic utterance about the Russian president—such as that he’s a strong leader who’s popular with his people and acts in their interests—puts you outside the camp of the saints. Mrs. Clinton is making it a habit to tell Americans what to say and how to think if they want to qualify as … Americans. In particular, Hillary’s AltRight screed, best described on Twitter as the Control-Alt-Delete speech, focused on Mrs. Clinton’s crusade against deviationists. Provided by a twitter handle called “Hillary’s PR Team,” here’s a distillation of the interminable smear against Trump and his supporters, peddled as “substantive” by the moron media: Prejudice and paranoia, hate groups, harmful stereotypes, hateful supporters, systemic racism, dark conspiracies, dark conspiracy theories, racist lies, bigotry, racist, white supremacist bigot, white nationalist leader, KKK, racially tinged rumors, Alex Jones. … Yes, Hillary’s Control-Alt-Delete harangue began with the biggest deviationist of all, Donald J. Trump. Trump “disregards the values that make our country great,” fumed the fire-and-brimstone Mrs. Clinton on that occasion. To his great credit, Trump flunked another test of “true American principles,” established by Hillary, following the NBC’s “Commander-in-Chief” forum, on September 7. As the media reminds us, Trump disqualifies himself for the presidency daily. This time it was for speaking the truth about Putin at the forum. The Russian people’s approval of their president stands at 82 percent. But the correct American values, as decreed by our northeastern elites, depend on disparaging Putin and his people. After all, Russians are stupid. They need Clinton and her Radical Republican counterpart, Speaker Paul Ryan (or a color-coded revolution organized by both), to induct them into the American government’s ways. Enforcer Hillary (and Speaker Ryan) was having none of it. A preference for the Russian president over our American president was plain “unpatriotic and scary,” to be stamped out and marginalized. “Hillary Rodham Clinton,” argues historian Clyde N. Wilson, whose métier is American intellectual history, “is a museum-quality specimen of the Yankee—self-righteous, ruthless, and self-aggrandizing.” Wilson uses the term Yankee “historically to designate a peculiar group descended from New Englanders, who can be easily recognized by their arrogance, hypocrisy, greed, lack of congeniality, and penchant for ordering other people around.” By Yankee, Dr. Wilson does not mean “everybody from north of the Potomac and Ohio. The firemen who died in the World Trade Center on September 11 [commemorated this weekend] were Americans. The politicians and TV personalities who stood around telling us what we are to think about it are Yankees.” In their journey from the “hyper-Calvinism of their early days,” to “their present atheism,” Yankees like Hillary have long ago replaced religious zeal with a progressive’s political fanaticism. And while they’ve “abandoned anything that might be good in their religion,” contends Wilson, bossy busybodies like Clinton have never given up the notion that “they are the chosen saints whose mission is to make America, and the world, into the perfection of their own image.” Again, by continuously enforcing the “standard of all things American and good,” Hillary is not that different from her Republican colleagues. They, too, deploy the values cudgel as energetically, to whip the base into shape. Or, to read many of us out of the American family. To compound his unorthodoxy, Trump failed to fall back on the American exceptionalism exemption, in judging the actions of American leaders—good by default—relative to other world leaders. At the “Commander-in-Chief” forum, Trump intimated that Mr. Putin’s transgressions were “no less troublesome than Mr. Obama’s transgressions.” Quite right. Ask the innocent victims of Obama’s energetic drone program ongoing: villagers in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Libya and Yemen. Effortlessly, Trump continues to be faithful to the mandate the Republican base has given him: fumigate those DC snake pits. To the Aug. 17 intelligence briefing, Trump took along a pit-bull in the person of retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who prodded the briefers … a lot. Came the meme from media: How dare Donald and his general discomfit the intelligence experts of “The Deep State,” that state-within-a state, and one of the least scrutinized collection of government agencies. Soon, proxies for the intelligence briefers were flocking to the lapdog media’s studios to badmouth The Donald and his uppity general. The substance of retired Gen. Flynn’s interruptions at the briefing matters not at all. What counts is that Trump continues to make the sprawling political apparatus writhe like a fire-breathing mythical monster in the throes of death. Next, the controlling Mrs. Clinton demanded the Republican base’s candidate for president hush his mouth about the Federal Reserve Bank. Clinton doesn’t understand much about the Fed. Instinctively, however, she knows that it’s in her interest not to discuss its inflationary actions and interest-rates price fixing. Trump gets that the Fed is “keeping interest rates down so that everything else doesn’t go down,” and has said that “we have a very false economy.” He doesn’t lie about it. He gets that the “stock market is bloated”; that the Stock Exchange is a laughing stock, and that soaring stock prices are a consequence of centrally planned, monetary stimulus. Naturally, Clinton would prefer the tool that greases the operations of government, and allows the monetization of the debt accrued by her kind, to “be off-limits for U.S. presidents and presidential candidates. You should not be commenting on Fed actions when you are either running for president or you are president,” Mrs. Clinton fulminated at Trump. ORDER IT NOW Just as Hillary’s collectivist creed, “It Takes A Village,” complements Barack’s “You didn’t build it” motto—so do their economic policies jibe. Mrs. Clinton likely expects the Fed to keep interest rates low to help her make the case for the continuation of the Obama economy. Back to Bill. Being something of a good old boy, Bill Clinton looked as if he was in purgatory at the Democratic National Convention, late June. Surrounded by shrill, power-crazed women and their domesticated men; gyno-centric soft pop blaring from the speakers—Mr. Clinton looked as if he’d rather be hanging out with … Donald Trump. |
The RSS and its affiliates are continuing with their 'Ghar Wapsi' programme in Punjab which involves converting Christians back to Sikhism. Earlier it was reported by Indian Express that the Sangh and its fringe groups had converted nearly 8,000 Christians back to 'Sikhism' in the last three years. The report pointed out that over 3,500 of these conversions took place last year itself. Now a Times of India report says, that Dharma Jagran Manch (DJM), a Sangh body "re-converted" 40 Mazhabi Sikhs who were Scheduled Castes back from Christianity. While no Sikh organization was present, the function took place at "a gurdwara at Guru Ki Wadali near Amritsar." On re-convertee Gurmej Kaur (65) told the paper, "I am very poor. I have no money to pay my house rent," but then the DJM activists stopped her from talking further. Another convert Jasbir Masih, said that Christian priests wanted them to "remove photographs of Lord Shiva and the Gurus" from their homes. "I could not bear it and decided to go back to my real religion," he told TOI. Amritsar Bishop P K Samantaroy meanwhile told the paper that the converts could not have been Christians and "had they known their religion, they would never have done so," adding that they (Christian missionaries) have never forced any conversion. While the RSS and Sangh "might be doing their bit" to convert people back to Sikhism, the other Sikh residents were unhappy with this so ceremony and will now report the matter to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Previously RSS leader Ram Gopal and head of Dharm Jagran unit had justified their programme to Indian Express and claimed that in some villages "the entire population had converted" to Christianity and that this was a threat to Sikhism. They had even found support from one SGPC member who helped them organise the ceremonies. The SGPC member Kiranjot Kaur, who helped the RSS with these ceremonies told Indian Express, “The situation is so alarming that even Sikhs in Amritsar, which is the seat of Sikhism, are converting...The RSS does not mind people re-converting to Sikhism because it sees Hindus and Sikhs as members of the same family.” The earlier IE report had pointed out that "Hoshiarpur district has seen the most ‘ghar wapsis’, followed by Amritsar and Batala." But this re-conversion tactic has not gone down well with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which is an ally of the BJP. In the past even Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal had assured Christians that they would not allow “forcible conversions” in the city of Amritsar. Moreover RSS' tendency to put Sikhism within the fold of Hinduism has never gone down well with Sikhs. Of course Punjab is not the only state where such 'conversions' are taking place. Earlier this month it was reported that VHP had converted over 200 Christians in Gujarat in a mass ceremony. A PTI report showed that the rituals were held at Aranai village in Valsad district of BJP-ruled Gujarat and that a 'Maha Yagnya' (ritual of the sacred fire) was organised for "purification" of the tribals before taking them back in Hindu-fold. Each of them was also given a copy of Bhagwad Gita. VHP insisted that the re-conversion was "voluntary" and not by force. In Kerala it was reported that 35 people had converted to Hinduism, forcing the state to call a probe into the incident. The conversion reportedly took in Alappuzha and Kollam districts. On Christmas Day, VHP claimed that it had converted 59 Christians back to Hinduism. According to an IANS report the conversions took placein Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's home district Kottayam and as many as 42 people from 21 families - all of them Christians - took part in temple rituals, and amidst chanting of slogans became Hindus in Ponkunam in Kottayam district. Another 17 people from near Kottayam town also became Hindus at a temple function, added the report. Now the latest report in Punjab shows that despite 'religious conversions' or rather 'Ghar Wapsi' as the Sangh calls it is continuing at a steady pace all across. What is unclear is whether these are forced or if the converts are being lured back with monetary promises. For now the central government insists that it does not support "forced religious conversion", but as regular reports show, 'ghar wapsi' ceremonies have gained a steady ground all across India. With inputs from Agencies Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button. |
The track is the fifth rap No. 1 of 2017, tying for the most in a single year. Plus, Portugal. The Man's "Feel It Still" is the top radio hit & Sam Smith returns to the top 10. Congratulations are in order for Post Malone, whose "Rockstar," featuring 21 Savage, hits No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated Oct. 28), marking the first leader for each artist. Plus, Portugal. The Man's "Feel It Still" reaches the Hot 100's top five, and takes over atop the Radio Songs chart, while Sam Smith returns to the Hot 100's top 10 with "Too Good at Goodbyes." As we do every Monday, let's run down the top 10 of the Hot 100, which blends all-genre streaming, airplay and sales data. All charts will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Oct. 17). "Rockstar," released on Republic Records, becomes the 1,068th No. 1 in the Hot 100's 59-year history. Post Malone (born Austin Richard Post) had previously peaked at a No. 8 high with "Congratulations," featuring Quavo, in July, while 21 Savage (Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph) had hit a No. 12 best with "Bank Account." "Post is one of the most unique artists I've ever had the pleasure of working with," says Republic vp of marketing Marleny Dominguez. "He truly treads his own path. It's amazing to see him resonate by just being himself. It's a testament to his individuality and integrity." No. 1 in Streaming: After spending its first three weeks on the Hot 100 at No. 2, "Rockstar" reigns as it logs a third (nonconsecutive) week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart with 51.3 million U.S. streams, up 3 percent, in the week ending Oct. 12, according to Nielsen Music (without the benefit so far of an official proper video, for that matter). It rises 5-3 on Digital Song Sales (which it led for a week), up 11 percent to 48,000 downloads sold in the week ending Oct. 12, and debuts at No. 38 on Radio Songs with 35 million in all-format audience, up 36 percent, in the week ending Oct. 15. (Post-poned: As noticed by reader @Loago96, "Rockstar" is the third song to spend at least its first three weeks on the Hot 100 at No. 2 and then rise to No. 1. Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby" logged its first four weeks at No. 2 in April 1996, before topping the chart for two weeks that May, while Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie," featuring Rihanna, waited patiently at No. 2 for its first three weeks in July 2010 before beginning a seven-week reign. Plus, per reader Pablo Nelson (looking ahead to today's chart in yesterday's "Ask Billboard" mailbag), 21 Savage hitting No. 1 on the Hot 100 is something that twenty one pilots have yet to do … although Savage Garden has.) "Rockstar" also becomes the first No. 1 for both Post Malone and 21 Savage on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts. Rap-"rock": Notably, five of the 10 songs to ascend to No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 2017 have been rap songs, tying for the most in any year. "Rockstar" dethrones Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)" after three weeks atop the Hot 100. Previously, DJ Khaled's "I'm the One," featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne; Kendrick Lamar's "Humble."; and Migos' "Bad and Boujee," featuring Lil Uzi Vert, led this year. Comparatively, in 2016, two of 10 Hot 100 No. 1s doubled up were rap (Desiigner's "Panda" and Rae Sremmurd's "Black Beatles," featuring Gucci Mane). They followed one such No. 1 in 2015 (Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again," featuring Charlie Puth), two in 2014 and three in 2013. Further, all five rap Hot 100 No. 1s this year mark the first chart champs for all five lead acts (Post Malone, Cardi B, DJ Khaled, Kendrick Lamar and Migos). 2017 marks the first year that as many as five rap hits have topped the Hot 100 since 2006, when D4L's "Laffy Taffy"; Nelly's "Grillz," featuring Paul Wall, Ali and Gipp; Sean Paul's "Temperature"; Chamillionaire's "Ridin'," featuring Krayzie Bone; and Ludacris' "Money Maker," featuring Pharrell, all reigned. Five rap hits also ruled the Hot 100 in 2004 and 2003. "Rock" era: Meanwhile, the word "rock" appears in the title of a Hot 100 No. 1 for the 12th time (dating to the first, Elton John's "Crocodile Rock," in 1973). In another sign of hip-hop's growth, the last two such leaders haven't actually been rock songs: before "Rockstar," LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" ruled in 2011 (and features Lauren Bennett and another rock-er: GoonRock). (The song renowned for kicking off the rock era, Bill Haley and His Comets' "Rock Around the Clock," was originally a hit in 1955, three years before the Hot 100's inception. It eventually hit No. 39 in 1974, sparked by its usage as the theme for both the movie American Graffiti and, via a rerecording, the hit TV show that the film helped inspire, Happy Days.) Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow" drops to No. 2 on the Hot 100. In ceding the summit, it remains tied for the longest-leading Hot 100 No. 1 by a female artist in 2017, matching the three-week rule of the song it supplanted at the top spot, Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do." (No song by a lead female has led for more than three weeks since Sia's "Cheap Thrills," featuring Sean Paul: four frames in August 2016.) "Bodak" holds at No. 2 on Streaming Songs (46.1 million, down 3 percent). It drops 4-6 on Digital Song Sales with 40,000 downloads sold (down 13 percent) and 10-11 on Radio Songs (75 million, although up 4 percent). Logic's "1-800-273-8255," featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid, returns to its No. 3 Hot 100 peak, from No. 4. It's steady at No. 3 on Streaming Songs (31.2 million, down 5 percent) and reaches the Radio Songs top 10 (12-8; 76 million, up 11 percent). Logic and Khalid each earn their first Radio Songs top 10, while Cara collects her fourth. Swift's "Look" rebounds 5-4 on the Hot 100 and, as previously reported, hits No. 1 on the Pop Songs airplay chart. New airplay No. 1: Portugal. The Man pushes 6-5 for its first top five Hot 100 hit, "Feel It Still," which also crowns Radio Songs (2-1; 110 million, up 3 percent). Hip-hop isn't ruling fully at rock's expense, as "Feel" is the first rock hit (defined as a title that has appeared on the Hot Rock Songs chart) to top Radio Songs in nearly four years, since Lorde's "Royals" ruled Radio Songs for six weeks in November-December 2013. The last rock band to top Radio Songs before Portugal. The Man? fun., for six weeks in April-May 2012 with "We Are Young," featuring Janelle Monae. (Maybe the key is to put a period in your name? fun. … Portugal. The Man … Before fun. no rock band had led Radio Songs since Lifehouse, with "Hanging by a Moment," back in 2001.) As on the Hot 100, "Feel" rises 6-5 on Digital Song Sales (42,000, up 1 percent), while lifting 37-33 on Streaming Songs (14.1 million, up 3 percent). It tops Hot Rock Songs for a third week. On the Alternative Songs airplay chart, "Feel" leads for a 17th week, the third-longest domination in the list's history; Muse's "Madness" leads with 19 weeks at No. 1 in 2012-13. (Another "Post" man: in a week in which Post Malone posts a new No. 1 on the Hot 100, it's worth repeating that "Feel" interpolates The Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman," which stamped itself at No. 1 on the Hot 100 dated Dec. 11, 1961.) J Balvin and Willy William's "Mi Gente," featuring Beyonce, drops 3-6 on the Hot 100 after surging from No. 21 the week before, sparked last week by the first full week of tracking for its new remix featuring Beyonce. This week, it falls 1-17 on Digital Song Sales (26,000 sold, down 67 percent); holds at No. 5 on Streaming Songs (27.7 million, down 4 percent); and bounds 29-22 on Radio Songs (55 million, up 20 percent). "Mi Gente" spends a second week at No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs. Sam Smith's "Too Good at Goodbyes" soars 13-7 on the Hot 100 after he performed the ballad on NBC's Saturday Night Live Oct. 7. The song, which debuted at its No. 5 Hot 100 high (Sept. 30), charges 11-7 on Digital Song Sales (39,000, up 30 percent, good for the Hot 100's top sales gain); 14-12 on Streaming Songs (20.6 million, up 7 percent); and 20-19 on Radio Songs (59 million, up 5 percent). Rounding out the Hot 100's top 10, Imagine Dragons' "Thunder" slips to No. 8 from its No. 7 high, although with the Hot 100's top gain in airplay (59 million, up 19 percent); Demi Lovato's "Sorry Not Sorry" descends to No. 9 from No. 8, her best career rank; and French Montana's "Unforgettable," featuring Swae Lee, keeps at No. 10, after reaching No. 3. Find out more Hot 100 news in the weekly "Hot 100 Chart Moves" column and by listening (and subscribing) to Billboard's Chart Beat Podcast and Pop Shop Podcast, all posting this week. And again, be sure to visit Billboard.com tomorrow (Oct. 17), when all charts, including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh. The Hot 100 and other charts will also appear in the next issue of Billboard magazine, on sale Friday (Oct. 20). |
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