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(Newser) – New Zealand residents will soon be able to doff their colanders to happy couples, as the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster was approved to perform marriages in New Zealand, Stuff reports. According to the New Zealand Gazette, the application from the religion—also known as Pastafarianism—was approved last Thursday under the Marriage Act of 1955. Stuff reports the government's registrar-general was satisfied "that the principal object of the organization was to uphold or promote religious beliefs, philosophical or humanitarian convictions." He points out the government can't make a value judgement on an organization's beliefs, only that they uphold and promote them. The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster holds that the existence of God is just as likely as the existence of some sort of pasta creature. Pastafarians have been making the news in recent years for wearing traditional colanders on their heads during driver's license photos. Other non-mainstream religions approved to perform marriages in New Zealand include yoga, Wicca, and Scientology, Stuff reports. (Read more the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster stories.) |
Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions speaks next to Donald Trump at a rally at Madison City Schools Stadium in Madison, Ala., on Feb. 28, 2016. Reuters/Marvin Gentry The unlikely alliance between Donald Trump and Sen. Jeff Sessions started because of the United Nations. It was 2005, and Trump was busy criticizing the U.N.’s plan to launch a $1.2 billion renovation of its Manhattan headquarters. To the real estate mogul, who had constructed Trump World Tower across the street, the price for the remodel was unreasonably high. “The United Nations is a mess,” Trump told the New York Sun, deriding just the kind of multilateral institution he now routinely pans in his presidential bid. “And they’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars unnecessarily on this project.” After Sessions learned of Trump’s views, the Alabama Republican and then-Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) invited him to come to Washington to talk about building renovation and air his criticism of the U.N. project at a Senate subcommittee hearing. The result was the best congressional testimony Sessions says he had ever heard. Even now, as Trump’s sole Senate endorser and the heart of his presence in Washington, Sessions loves telling the story. That’s partly because he likes to do his Trump impression. “Y’all are gettin’ taken to the cleaners!” Sessions said while mimicking Trump in a recent interview, his accent drifting somewhere between Queens and the Alabama Gulf Coast. “There is no way it should cost that much! … If you give it to me, I’ll save you a billion dollars!” Speaking to Washington Post reporter Elise Viebeck, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) imitated real estate mogul Donald Trump telling members of Congress they were being "taken to the cleaners" with the launch of the U.N. headquarters in Manhattan. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) [Trump questions need for NATO during Post editorial board meeting] Eleven years have passed since that hearing, and sitting in his office on Capitol Hill, Sessions can’t suppress his natural affection for Trump. So perhaps it’s no surprise that the ultra-conservative southerner has become Trump’s main man in Washington as the leading presidential campaign careens toward the Republican convention. “I think he can win, and I believe he will,” Sessions said. “He will need to continue to flesh out the details of his policies. But his instinctive response to Americans’ current situation has been pretty darn good.” Sessions described why he thinks Trump appeals to a large swath of voters that are seemingly his opposite — neither rich nor well-educated — and why his ostentatious lifestyle and private jet don’t put off supporters. “I do think it’s one of the charms he has. It’s more of a blue-collar attitude, but he is so proud of that plane!” Sessions said. “He doesn’t try to be cool, like, ‘I’m a rich person.’ He says, ‘Let me show you this, let me show you that!’ He takes you around and he wants to show you his towers.” The Alabama Republican described Trump’s meeting last month with influential Republicans at the Old Post Office Building in Washington, which Trump is renovating. “He couldn’t stop telling everybody about what all is going to be in it and how they’re going to have glass here, marble there…. He came to Mobile [Ala.] and my wife and everyone who was on the plane with him, they were charmed. He’s just unassuming and he enjoys people.” But Sessions is having a hard time selling that Trump charm to his colleagues — no one else in the upper chamber has endorsed the businessman since Sessions on Feb. 28. [Meet the members of Congress’s Trump caucus] The senator serves an increasingly important role for Trump, who will need help from the Washington establishment should he win the White House. Sessions is Trump’s chief resource on policy, his means of introduction to D.C.’s Republican power-brokers and the architect of what some aides describe as a Trump administration-in-waiting. “I’ve been in two meetings, and in both of them I had to move it along because he really is intellectually curious.… Somebody says something and he latches onto it and they go on and on and on, and other people don’t get a chance to talk. He wants to know more about this, he wants to know more about that, and ask, ask, ask, ask. I think he’ll seek good advice and ask the right questions.” After the hearing in 2005, Trump and Sessions were out of touch until last June, when they held a conference call on immigration policy and Trump began courting Sessions’s endorsement in earnest. Then Sessions defended Trump late last year when he called for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants coming to the United States, saying Trump forced an “appropriate” conversation on security. The Alabamian is best-known for his opposition to the Senate’s 2013 comprehensive immigration bill. But beyond his rejection of both a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and his support for a wall along the Southern border, he also believes the United States should lower legal immigration. In December, he opposed a Democratic “right-to-migrate” amendment in the Judiciary Committee, which was adopted 16-4. The affection between him and Trump runs both ways. “Look at him!” Trump said as he watched Sessions bound onstage at a rally in August. “He’s like, 20 years old! Unbelievable guy.” [With some smart moves, Trump had a pretty good week] Now, since Trump said he wants someone who could “walk into the Senate, who’s been friendly with these guys for 25 years” as his vice president, Sessions is the subject of the first wave of Trump VP buzz. (“Don’t bet any money on me,” Sessions recently told reporters.) A Trump-Sessions ticket would permanently link the political odd couple, with their collision of North and South, brash and mild, business and politics. But the two are already joined by their controversial drive to pull the GOP — and through it, the country — toward nativism on immigration, trade and foreign policy. “Sessions and Trump are united in the conviction that public policy in the United States should be tailored toward the interests of American citizens,” said Stephen Miller, a longtime Sessions aide who departed for Trump’s campaign in January. “That should be a noncontroversial thought, but it is not in our politics today.” At 69, Sessions sees the nation-state as the heart of his political mission. Day to day, he leads Trump’s foreign affairs advisory group, courts GOP officials for the Trump campaign and serves as a liaison with organizations such as the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society. But, on a deeper level, the Republican senator is thinking about a nationalist revolution. “The elites have become international, and they’ve ceased to have a primary loyalty to the nation-state,” Sessions said. “Republicans and Democrats do their fundraising cycles, and they go to Manhattan and they have their cocktails, and they hear the whining of some billionaire and ask him for money, and they read the Wall Street Journal, bless its heart — great organization that it is, it’s not perfect. The American people are not Darwinian. We’re not Randian, in a total, brutal survival of the fittest.” Still, the unknowns of a Trump administration do make the senator nervous. “Even moderates, they can see in Trump the potential to have logjams broken and things finally get done. This makes some conservatives and some liberals furious, nervous, and me nervous a little bit, because I’m a pretty pure conservative,” Sessions said. “So that’s a potential of his leadership.” [Donald Trump is still struggling to install friendly delegates] As Trump himself said, the fact Sessions endorsed him over Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz in the presidential contest was “big,” not just because of its possible influence in the primary but for how it disappointed the #NeverTrump movement. In public and in private, the conservative commentariat criticized Sessions and grieved losing him to the other side. “Longtime conservative journalist from Alabama feels betrayed by home state Sen. Sessions. Hard to blame him,” Fox News’s Brit Hume tweeted Feb. 28, the day of the endorsement. “Trump defends a Mussolini quote, won’t reject the KKK, and *now* Jeff Sessions endorses him?” RedState’s Erick Erickson wrote that day. “Still hard to believe, Jeff Sessions of all people, endorsed this guy,” National Review editor Rich Lowry tweeted March 4. Sessions said he has received little blowback from Senate colleagues. Maybe some saw the writing on the wall when Sessions appeared onstage with Trump at a rally in August and, without endorsing him, put on a “Make America Great Again” hat. But the decision did represent a break for the senator, who many assumed would endorse Cruz, if anyone. Former aides didn’t even see it coming. “He’s normally circumspect about making endorsements, which is what really sort of surprised me,” said Armand DeKeyser, Sessions’s chief of staff from 1997 to 2005. Though Sessions is all-in for Trump, he hasn’t managed to persuade any of his colleagues to make the same leap. His outreach on the campaign’s behalf has been informal, and he has not been tasked with netting further endorsements. But Sessions said that privately, his colleagues are more receptive to Trump’s views than they tell the press. [I said I wouldn’t back Donald Trump at the GOP convention. Then the threats began.] As for those Republicans who might suspect Trump’s moral character — his marital infidelity and two divorces have been widely discussed — Sessions points them to a biblical story of a pagan king who released the Jews from captivity and helped them rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. “Scripture says, ‘He didn’t know the Lord, didn’t respect the Lord, but the Lord used him to advance his kingdom,'” Sessions said. “I just believe that at this point in history, Trump will defend religious faith. I talk to him about that.” Sessions is familiar with controversy, racial and otherwise. In 1986, President Ronald Reagan nominated him for a federal judgeship. The ensuing confirmation process turned ugly over episodes from his past: the times he called the NAACP “un-American,” prosecuted civil rights activists for voter fraud and said, according to a former colleague, that he used to think the Ku Klux Klan was “okay.” As for Trump’s controversial remarks, Sessions said he believes he’ll tone it down. “I think he has said that himself,” Sessions told reporters this month off the Senate floor. “He’s made some mistakes. I think people have been willing to forgive him.” |
Jason Davis • May 26, 2015 Software Glitch Pauses LightSail Test Mission The Planetary Society’s LightSail test mission is paused while engineers wait out a suspected software glitch that has silenced the solar sailing spacecraft. Following a successful start to the mission last Wednesday, LightSail spent more than two days sending about 140 data packets back to Earth. But the long Memorial Day weekend here in the United States offered no respite for the LightSail team, as they scrambled to figure out why the spacecraft's automated telemetry chirps suddenly fell silent. It is now believed that a vulnerability in the software controlling the main avionics board halted spacecraft operations, leaving a reboot as the only remedy to continue the mission. When that occurs, the team will likely initiate a manual sail deployment as soon as possible. What happened? As of late Friday afternoon, LightSail was continuing to operate normally. The spacecraft’s ground stations at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Georgia Tech were receiving data on each pass. Power and temperature readings were trending stably, and the spacecraft was in good health. Cal Poly / Edited by Jason Davis LightSail battery levels from start of mission through communications loss But inside the spacecraft's Linux-based flight software, a problem was brewing. Every 15 seconds, LightSail transmits a telemetry beacon packet. The software controlling the main system board writes corresponding information to a file called beacon.csv. If you’re not familiar with CSV files, you can think of them as simplified spreadsheets—in fact, most can be opened with Microsoft Excel. As more beacons are transmitted, the file grows in size. When it reaches 32 megabytes—roughly the size of ten compressed music files—it can crash the flight system. The manufacturer of the avionics board corrected this glitch in later software revisions. But alas, LightSail’s software version doesn’t include the update. Late Friday, the team received a heads-up warning them of the vulnerability. A fix was quickly devised to prevent the spacecraft from crashing, and it was scheduled to be uploaded during the next ground station pass. But before that happened, LightSail fell silent. The last data packet received from the spacecraft was May 22 at 21:31 UTC (5:31 p.m. EDT). The aftermath LightSail is likley now frozen, not unlike the way a desktop computer suddenly stops responding. A reboot should clear the contents of the problematic beacon.csv file, giving the team a couple days to implement a fix. But to pull a phrase from recent mission reports, the outcome of the freeze is “non-deterministic.” That means sometimes the processor will still accept a reboot command; other times, it won’t. It’s similar to the way you deal with a frozen computer: You can try to struggle past sluggish menus and click reboot, but sometimes, your only recourse is pressing the power button. As of Tuesday afternoon, there have been 37 Cal Poly and Georgia Tech ground station passes. During half of those, reboot commands were sent to the spacecraft. Nothing has happened yet. Therefore, we have to assume that LightSail is only going to respond to the power button method. When I filmed an interview with our CEO, Bill Nye, and system engineer Barbara Plante, last year, Nye points out a piece of hardware strapped to BenchSat, LightSail’s acrylic-mounted testing clone: “There’s nobody in outer space to push that reset button,” says Nye. “No one that we’ve gotten to volunteer for that job,” Plante replies. “But it’s open." Since we can’t send anyone into space to reboot LightSail, we may have to wait for the spacecraft to reboot on its own. Spacecraft are susceptible to charged particles zipping through deep space, many of which get trapped inside Earth’s magnetic field. If one of these particles strikes an electronics component in just the right way, it can cause a reboot. This is not an uncommon occurrence for CubeSats, or even larger spacecraft, for that matter. Cal Poly’s experience with CubeSats suggest most experience a reboot in the first three weeks; I spoke with another CubeSat team that rebooted after six. Coincidentally, this is close to the original 28-day sail deployment timeline. Radio operators A lot of amateur radio enthusiasts have been helping to track LightSail. Many of you have sent in data packets that you’ve received, and I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how to decode packet contents. First of all, thank you! The first operator to grab a full packet was Ken Swaggart (call sign W7KKE) from Lincoln City, Oregon. His packet was nabbed at 20:01 UTC on May 20—just five hours after launch. This is a test flight in more ways than one. In addition to figuring out how LightSail behaves in space, we’re also refining our procedures for getting information out to the public—including the radio community. Because the team has been busy with actual spacecraft operations, I’ve been trying to field those inquiries myself. Unfortunately, I’m far from an expert in this area. I know what the data should look like after they are decoded; not so much on the raw radio signal side of things. We don’t currently have a public decoder available, but Dr. John Bellardo at Cal Poly generously spent some time building a prototype web version that takes raw hexidecimal data and converts it to plain text. I’ve tried using it to decode some of the packets you’ve sent me, but to no avail thus far—meaning I have to send them over to our engineers instead. The team’s first duty is to the spacecraft itself, but we’ll get to your requests eventually, and iron out the process for our 2016 flight. In the meantime, you can still listen for LightSail and send reports to [email protected] For more details, check out our Mission Control page at sail.planetary.org/missioncontrol. Finally, many folks have written in to tell me that our spacecraft ground track is getting stale. We know, and we’re just as anxious as you are to get that updated. We rely on JSpOC, the Joint Space Operations Center, for updated Two-Line Element sets. TLEs are numerical descriptions of an object’s orbit. Thus far, our only TLE came from the launch vehicle shortly after LightSail was deposited into orbit. When we get a new TLE, we expect there to be several that represent the entire group of CubeSats that hitched a ride to space aboard the Atlas V Centaur upper stage. Since the spacecraft remain bunched relatively close together, there might not be discrete one-to-one matches between each TLE and its corresponding spacecraft. One way we can narrow down which spacecraft is LightSail is to measure its doppler shift, but since we're no longer transmitting, the process may take more time. Navid Baraty / The Planetary Society Atlas V at night This image of the LightSail 1 spacecraft's Atlas V rocket was captured the night before launch after a sound-activated remote camera was inadvertently triggered. This image of the LightSail 1 spacecraft's Atlas V rocket was captured the night before launch after a sound-activated remote camera was inadvertently triggered. Next steps Cal Poly and Georgia Tech will keep listening for LightSail on each ground pass. Furthermore, Cal Poly is automating the reboot command transmission to be sent every few ground station passes, on the hope that one command sneaks through (we don't send the command on every pass because a successful reboot triggers a waiting period before beacon transmissions begin). But as of right now, we can’t do much except wait, hoping a charged particle smacks the spacecraft in just the right way to cause a reboot. LightSail is capable of remaining in orbit about six months in its CubeSat form. In the meantime, the team is looking at several fixes to work around the software vulnerability once contact is reestablished. One is a Linux file redirect that would send the contents of the troublesome beacon.csv file to a null location, a sort-of software black hole. Lab testing on this fix has been promising—over a gigabyte of beacon packets have already been sent into nothingness without a system freeze. When we hear from LightSail again, the team will likely initiate a manual sail deployment as soon as possible. Planning has already started on that front—we’ll keep you updated. In the meantime, I'll be refreshing the spacecraft's raw telemetry packet repository, ready to jump at the first sign of new data. With a little luck, the test mission isn’t over just yet. Hopefully LightSail will follow trends established by other CubeSat missions and reboot soon. |
Hypothesis Testing: The Basics Say I hand you a coin. How would you tell if it's fair? If you flipped it 100 times and it came up heads 51 times, what would you say? What if it came up heads 5 times, instead? In the first case you'd be inclined to say the coin was fair and in the second case you'd be inclined to say it was biased towards tails. How certain are you? Or, even more specifically, how likely is it actually that the coin is fair in each case? Hypothesis Testing Questions like the ones above fall into a domain called hypothesis testing. Hypothesis testing is a way of systematically quantifying how certain you are of the result of a statistical experiment. In the coin example the "experiment" was flipping the coin 100 times. There are two questions you can ask. One, assuming the coin was fair, how likely is it that you'd observe the results we did? Two, what is the likelihood that the coin is fair given the results you observed? Of course, an experiment can be much more complex than coin flipping. Any situation where you're taking a random sample of a population and measuring something about it is an experiment, and for our purposes this includes A/B testing. Let's focus on the coin flip example understand the basics. The Null Hypothesis The most common type of hypothesis testing involves a null hypothesis. The null hypothesis, denoted H 0 , is a statement about the world which can plausibly account for the data you observe. Don't read anything into the fact that it's called the "null" hypothesis — it's just the hypothesis we're trying to test. For example, "the coin is fair" is an example of a null hypothesis, as is "the coin is biased." The important part is that the null hypothesis be able to be expressed in simple, mathematical terms. We'll see how to express these statements mathematically in just a bit. The main goal of hypothesis testing is to tell us whether we have enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. In our case we want to know whether the coin is biased or not, so our null hypothesis should be "the coin is fair." If we get enough evidence that contradicts this hypothesis, say, by flipping it 100 times and having it come up heads only once, then we can safely reject it. All of this is perfectly quantifiable, of course. What constitutes "enough" and "safely" are all a matter of statistics. The Statistics, Intuitively So, we have a coin. Our null hypothesis is that this coin is fair. We flip it 100 times and it comes up heads 51 times. Do we know whether the coin is biased or not? Our gut might say the coin is fair, or at least probably fair, but we can't say for sure. The expected number of heads is 50 and 51 is quite close. But what if we flipped the coin 100,000 times and it came up heads 51,000 times? We see 51% heads both times, but in the second instance the coin is more likely to be biased. Lack of evidence to the contrary is not evidence that the null hypothesis is true. Rather, it means that we don't have sufficient evidence to conclude that the null hypothesis is false. The coin might actually have a 51% bias towards heads, after all. If instead we saw 1 head for 100 flips that would be another story. Intuitively we know that the chance of seeing this if the null hypothesis were true is so small that we would be comfortable rejecting the null hypothesis and declaring the coin to (probably) be biased. Let's quantify our intuition. The Coin Flip Formally the flip of a coin can be represented by a Bernoulli trial. A Bernoulli trial is a random variable X such that Pr\left(X = 1\right) = 1 - Pr\left(X = 0\right) = 1 - q = p That is, X takes on the value 1 (representing heads) with probability p, and 0 (representing tails) with probability 1 - p . Now, let's say we have 100 coin flips. Let X i represent the ith coin flip. Then the random variable Y = \sum_{i=1}^{100} X_i The Statistics, Mathematically represents the run of 100 coin flips. Say you have a set of observations O and a null hypothesis H 0 . In the above coin example we were trying to calculate P\left(O \mid H_0\right) i.e., the probability that we observed what we did given the null hypothesis. If that probability is sufficiently small we're confident concluding the null hypothesis is false We can use whatever level of confidence we want before rejecting the null hypothesis, but most people choose 90%, 95%, or 99%. For example if we choose a 95% confidence level we reject the null hypothesis if P\left(O \mid H_0\right) \le 1 - 0.95 = 0.05 The Central Limit Theorem is the main piece of math here. Briefly, the Central Limit Theorem says that the sum of any number of re-averaged identically distributed random variables approximates a normal distribution. Remember our random variables from before? If we let p = \frac{Y}{N} then p is the proportion of heads in our sample of 100 coin flips. In our case, it is equal to 0.51, or 51%. But by the central limit theorem we also know that p approximates a normal distribution. This means we can estimate the standard deviation of p as \sigma = \sqrt{\frac{p(1-p)}{N}} Wrapping It Up Our null hypothesis is that the coin is fair. Mathematically we're saying H_0 : p_0 = 0.50 Here's the normal curve: A 95% level of confidence means we reject the null hypothesis if p falls outside 95% of the area of the normal curve. Looking at that chart we see that this corresponds to approximately 1.98 standard deviations. The so-called "z-score" tells us how many standard deviations away from the mean our sample is, and it's calculated as z = \frac{p-0.50}{\sqrt{\frac{0.50(1-0.50)}{N}}} The numerator is "p - 0.50" because our null hypothesis is that p = 0.50. This measures how far the sample mean, p, diverges from the expect mean of a fair coin, 0.50. The Data Let's say we flipped three coins 100 times each and got the following data. Data for 100 Flips of a Coin Coin Flips Pct. Heads Z-score Coin 1 100 51% 0.20 Coin 2 100 60% 2.04 Coin 3 100 75% 5.77 Using a 95% confidence level we'd conclude that Coin 2 and Coin 3 are biased using the techniques we've developed so far. Coin 2 is 2.04 standard deviations from the mean and Coin 3 is 5.77 standard deviations. When your test statistic meets the 95% confidence threshold we call it statistically significant. This means there's only a 5% chance of observing what you did assuming the null hypothesis was true. Phrased another way, there's only a 5% chance that your observation is due to random variation. Recap Hypothesis testing is a way of systematically quantifying how certain you are of the result of a statistical experiment. You start by forming a null hypothesis, e.g., "this coin is fair," and then calculate the likelihood that your observations are due to pure chance rather than a real difference in the population. The confidence interval is the level at which you reject the null hypothesis. If there is a 95% chance that there's a real difference in your observations, given the null hypothesis, then you are confident in rejecting it. This also means there is a 5% chance you're wrong and the difference is due to random fluctuations. The null hypothesis can be any mathematical statement and the test you use depends on both the underlying data and your null hypothesis. In our coin flipping example the underlying data approximated a normal distribution and we wanted to test whether the observed proportion of heads was different enough to be significant. In this case we were measuring the sample mean. We can measure anything, though: the sample variance, correlation, etc. Different tests needs to be used to determine whether these are statistically significant, as we'll see in coming articles. What's Next? Now that we understand the innards of hypothesis testing we can apply our knowledge to A/B tests to determine whether new features actually effect user behavior. Until then! |
CONDITIONS: The Perfect Chapter event is unique in its format. Each year, fans select 13 contenders and three wildcards during a week-long voting window. With a waiting period ranging from January to March, the contest directors monitor the forecast and make the call for big, tubey conditions. The competitors - who are judged only on barrel-riding technique - are notified of the event status a short 48 hours before the first round begins.For more information, visit capituloperfeito.com "I want to start by thanking the crowd at the beach. You filled our souls with energy to face this ocean. It was a challenging day here in Carcavelos. The conditions were classic, but Mother Nature decided to give us a beating." -- Nicolau Von Rupp, winner of the 3rd annual Perfect Chapter"Carcavelos was a challenging forecast for the waiting period. Carcavelos faces south, so the exposure to the endless barrage of NW swells we have seen impact the East Atlantic is highly limited. We either saw a lot of days with good conditions but not enough swell or solid swell but with onshore winds and poor conditions. Finally we saw a little break with a storm that dipped just far enough south in the Atlantic to produce solid swell that would impact the south facing Carcavelos. This swell timed up perfectly with a passing cold front to set up offshore northerly winds and good conditions." -- Mike Watson, Surfline Forecaster1. Nicolau Von Rupp, 10.50?2. Ruben Gonzalez, 10.25?3. Marlon Lipke, 5.65?4. Antonio Silva, 4.70 |
Guy Sues Children's Charity After No-Show By Angelina Jolie Like us on Facebook: The current article you are reading does not reflect the views of the current editors and contributors of the new Ecorazzi You know those celebrity meet-and-greet charity auctions we often talk about? Yea, well, apparently they don’t always work out. A lawsuit has been filed by an unnamed plantiff alleging that the $30,000 he paid to a children’s charity for a meet with Angelina Jolie never amounted to anything. The charity, Lili Claire Foundation, is a group that helps children with neurogenetic disorders. TMZ reports that two years have passed and the meeting did not take place, nor has the payment been returned. The man is suing for the return of his money, in addition to damages. Damages? What the hell kind of mental anguish did this guy suffer? I can understand wanting his money back — but to request more, from a children’s charity no less, just seems in poor taste. A rep for the organization told TMZ, “The Lili Claire Foundation has a 100 percent track record of honoring its commitment to donors and recipients with respect to every single auction item sold to support its charitable services.” “In the rare event that a sold auction item cannot be satisfactorily delivered to the winning bidder through no fault of our own, The Lili Claire Foundation works faithfully for an appropriate resolution with our bidder.” We imagine they’ve probably attempted to hook this guy up with other actresses — but anyone who forks over $30K to meet someone probably has their heart (or mental disturbance) set on one person. We’re just wondering why Angie doesn’t step in and fulfill her original olbligation to the charity? Odd — and I’m sure there’s much more to the story. Stay tuned… |
Ottawa’s taxi industry is a mess. We have an archaic plate system that limits service. We have business interests working to entrench their power. And we have city councillors unwilling to fix the problem. It is easy to see where we went wrong. Our plate system institutionalizes a cartel, capping the number of cabs on the roads. Scarcity has become public policy, and with demand unable to keep up to supply, councillors must cap fares to eliminate the otherwise inevitable price gouging. The regulatory mess that the city has created — and has failed to reform — hurts customers, discourages new entrants to the market and impoverishes drivers. Regardless of the demand that residents and tourists may have, our leaders have decided that the industry will only supply a certain number of cabs. This lack of competition means that existing taxi plate holders have little incentive to cut costs, improve efficiency or improve the quality of service customers receive. Further, the plate system has facilitated a grey market in which city-issued plates are sold or rented for thousands of dollars. If you want get into the taxi business, you have to pay the gatekeeper. Plate holders can get rich through special status gifted by the government. It’s basic rent-seeking, and profiteers are exploiting this public privilege. We are, in essence, paying plate holders to give us sub-standard service. This also hurts new entrants to the market, confident that they can provide good service, balancing the twin demands of efficiency and quality. Generally, we understand that an open, free market is the best and most efficient manner to determine the allotment of resources to a specific good or service. But not when it comes to cabs, apparently. Taxis must be restricted, and prospective drivers must be discouraged from earning a living. As it turns out, this system is also harmful to current drivers. Fares have been frozen for a few years, but costs — gas, insurance, plate rents — have not. The cost of operating a cab can now run over $10,000 a year. With such a burden, it is quite understandable that cabbies will want to charge a price that both covers these costs and provides them appropriate recompense. And so it is that last week, the taxi driver union requested a fare increase of seven per cent. I have no idea if this is appropriate. And neither do you. With our existing market, it is impossible for anyone to authoritatively declare what a just fare would be. In order to establish an appropriate fare, the city needs to stop limiting the growth of the industry. It must excuse itself, eliminate the plate system, allow new entrants into the market and let each cabbie establish her own fare. Those who can run their business effectively will thrive. This isn’t a call for taxi anarchy. The city will still have the power to regulate drivers and their vehicles. There can still be licensing requirements to ensure that all drivers have the necessary qualifications to drive a cab. We just need to let this market operate in the same manner as just about every other market in the city. If drivers want to break free from the pricing constraints of city regulators, they should make common cause with their fares. Customers deserve an open market, not a cartel. Cabbies deserve to be free to peddle their services without being subjected to extortionate fees. If the union is truly interested in establishing fare rates for their drivers, they should fight to liberate the taxi market. If they won’t, we will see their duplicity and we should no longer reward them with a protected market. Jonathan McLeod is a general fellow with the Canadian Council for Democracy. He writes about local matters at stepsfromthecanal.wordpress.com. |
When the Ducks play the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final, it will be the first playoff matchup between the Western Conference powers. The Ducks, who have won straight three Pacific Division titles, are in their first conference final since 2007; Chicago is in its third straight and fifth in seven years. Anaheim won its only Cup in ’07 while Chicago, an Original Six team with five NHL titles, hoisted it in 2010 and 2013. The Blackhawks took two of the three meetings between the teams in the regular season. Oct. 28 at United Center, Chicago Ducks 1, Blackhawks 0: John Gibson stopped 38 shots for his second career shutout and only one of the season while Devante Smith-Pelly scored the only goal on a shorthanded breakaway, beating Blackhawks rookie goalie Scott Darling midway through the third period. Gibson’s best save came on a diving stop of Chicago captain Jonathan Toews 90 seconds into the third. Smith-Pelly was later traded to Montreal for Jiri Sekac. Nov. 28 at Honda Center, Anaheim Blackhawks 4, Ducks 1: Frederik Andersen’s 34 saves were wasted as the Ducks were in a post-Thanksgiving stupor and easily fell in the Black Friday matinee. Brad Richards and Andrew Shaw scored goals in the first 13:30 for a 2-0 lead while Patrick Kane scored twice to back Corey Crawford’s 23-save outing. Hampus Lindholm got the only goal in the first as the Ducks were decimated on the blue line, playing without Francois Beauchemin (broken finger), Ben Lovejoy (broken finger) or Clayton Stoner (mumps). Jan. 31 at Honda Center, Anaheim Blackhawks 4, Ducks 1: Stinging from blowing a late third-period lead two nights earlier in Los Angeles, Chicago cruised behind two more goals by Kane while Patrick Sharp assisted on all four goals. Toews and Duncan Keith also had goals for the Blackhawks while rookie Rickard Rakell had the Ducks’ only score. It was the first time the Ducks lost consecutive games in regulation since Nov. 28-29, when they also dropped games to Chicago and San Jose. TOP THREE THREATS Ducks Corey Perry – The NHL’s current points leader in these playoffs finished off Calgary in the second round with his first career overtime playoff goal. The winger scores goals with equal parts skill and grit. Perry opened series wins over Winnipeg and Calgary with four-point games. Ryan Getzlaf – Getzlaf has only two goals but the big, playmaking center is dangerous every moment he’s on the ice because of his rare combination of size, vision and skill. His 10 assists top all playoff performers. Ryan Kesler – The Ducks traded for him precisely for this time of the year, and Kesler hasn’t disappointed. Kesler has centered a wildly effective second line on which Matt Beleskey and Jakob Silfverberg have flourished while getting nine points and winning 63.7 of his faceoffs. Chicago Patrick Kane – The dazzling winger is on a roll with goals in his past five games, including five total in the Blackhawks’ four-game sweep of Minnesota in their West semifinal. The 2013 Conn Smythe Trophy winner has gone scoreless in only one of Chicago’s 10 playoff games. Duncan Keith – Keith’s 10 points lead all defensemen in the postseason and the 2010 Norris Trophy winner has topped 28 minutes or more on five occasions, including 46:19 of ice time in a Game 4 triple-overtime win over Nashville during the first round. Jonathan Toews – Many experts say they would take this 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy winner first if they were starting a new franchise. Toews already possesses two three-point games and long has had a knack of scoring huge goals. There’s no better two-way player in the NHL at the moment. TRENDING • The Ducks scored twice on the power play in the clinching Game 5 against Calgary and their nine goals with the man advantage lead all teams. It was ranked 28th during the regular season. • Goaltender Frederik Andersen has an 8-1 record, 1.96 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. His save percentage improves to .962 when it comes to the third period, where he’s allowed only three goals in 78 shots he’s faced. • No team is closing better. The Ducks have outscored opponents 16-3 in the third period and their plus-13 differential is far and away above the next best mark at plus-4. Chicago represents a big step up in competition but the Ducks have four wins when trailing after two periods. Contact the writer: estephens@ocregister.com |
The key points ofChancellor George Osborne's Budgeton 21 March 2012: INCOME TAX From April 2013, the50p top rate of tax will be cut to 45p. Personal income tax allowance raisedto £9,205 from April 2013 - a move the government says will make 24 million people £220 better off. In real terms, the change amounts to £170 more a year for a basic rate taxpayer. But 300,000 more people will be drawn into the higher rate - 40% - tax band from 2013/14 as the threshold is reduced from £42,475 to £41,450. That largely offsets the benefit of the personal allowance rise for higher rate earners who will get £42.50 more a year. PENSIONERS Pensioners will no longer receive a larger personal income tax allowance than people of working age. At present, the over 65s can earn £10,500 before tax, while those over 75 can earn 10,660, but thoseage-related allowances will removedfor new pensioners from April 2013. Allowances for those already of pension age will be frozen until the personal allowance for the rest of the population catches up. George Osborne said "no pensioner will lose in cash terms", but HM Revenue and Customs estimates that in 2013-14, 4.41 million people will be worse off in real terms, thanks to inflation, with an average loss of £83. Within that total, 360,000 individuals aged 65 will lose an average of £285, while 230,000 people will be brought into income tax for the first time. Automatic review of state pension age to ensure it keeps pace with increasing lifespans. New single-tier state pension for future pensioners to be set at about £140 and based on contributions. CHILD BENEFIT Will be reduced incrementallywhen someone in a household has an income of more than £50,000. It will fall by 1% for every £100 earned over £50,000. Anyone earning more than £60,000 will lose the benefit completely. It appears that child benefit will still be paid to all, but claimants will have to fill out self assessment tax forms and they will have the relevant amount reclaimed via their tax. ECONOMY Independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)revises up UK growth forecastfor 2012 to 0.8% - from 0.7%. Forecast for 2013 is 2%, for 2014 is 2.7%, and in each of the two years after that 3%. Eurozone growth forecast for this year revised down from 0.5% to -0.3%. UK inflation forecast to fall from 2.8% this year to 1.9% next year. BORROWING Borrowing this year to be £126bn- £1bn less than forecast in the autumn. Predicted to be £120bn in 2012-13 and £98bn in 2013-14. Forecast to fall to £21bn by 2016-17. Consultation to be held on offering gilts - government bonds - with maturity terms of more than 50 years to take advantage of current low interest rates. JOBS OBR forecasts unemployment to peak this year at 8.7% before falling each year to 6.3% by 2016-17. One million more jobs to be created in the economy over five years, OBR says. HOUSING From midnight on Budget day,new stamp duty level of 7%for homes worth more than £2m - up from 5%. Any such homes bought through companies will pay 15%. Consultation on the introduction of "a large annual charge" on properties already held in so-called "corporate envelopes". Treasury sources have suggested up to £140,000 a year on any worth more than £20m, down to £15,000 a year on those worth £2m-£5m. Extra funding to help construction firms building new homes. BUSINESS TAXES Corporation tax cut to 24%from next month. By 2014 it will fall to 22%. Consultation on simplifying the tax system for small firms with a turnover of up to £77,000. Tax relief for the video games, animation andhigh-end television production sectors. "Above-the-line" tax credit - a credit against a company's corporation tax - from next year for firms conducting research and development. Government support for £150m of tax increment financing to help councils promote development OTHER HELP FOR BUSINESS Relaxation of Sunday trading laws on eight Sundays during Olympics and Paralympics, starting July 22. Enhanced capital allowances for businesses setting up in new Scottish enterprise zones in Dundee, Irvine and Nigg. A Welsh enterprise zone to be created in Deeside. Enterprise finance guarantee, in which the government guarantees bank loans to small business, to be expanded. Government considering enterprise loans for young people to start their own business. Extra £270m for the Growing Places fund, which aims to boost local economic growth and job creation. ARMED FORCES Cost of operations in Afghanistan to be £2.4bn less than expected. Money saved will provide anextra £100m to improve military accommodation. Personnel serving overseas will receive 100% relief on an average council tax bill. Families welfare grant also doubled. PUBLIC SECTOR Government evidence to be published on the case forregional public sector pay. Option for government departments to move to regional pay structures for civil servants when current freeze ends. FUEL, CIGARETTES, ALCOHOL AND GAMBLING No change to existing plans on fuel duty - a 3.02p per litre increase will go ahead on 1 August. Vehicle excise duty to rise by inflation, but frozen for road hauliers. Existing fair fuel stabiliser means above-inflation rises in fuel duty will return only if price of oil falls below £45 ($70) a barrel. Duty on all tobacco productsto rise by 5% above inflationfrom 1800 GMT on Budget day - the equivalent of 37p on a packet of cigarettes. No change to existing plans on alcohol duty- meaning the duty will rise 2% above the rate of inflation, putting more than 5p on the price of a pint. New duty on gaming machines at a standard rate of 20% and a lower rate for low-prize machines of 5% of net takings. Shift in gambling taxation - will be levied where the customer is based not the company. The aim is to discourage firms from relocation overseas. TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE Network Rail to upgrade the Transpennine route between Manchester and Sheffield. Further improvements to the lines between Manchester and Preston, and Manchester and Blackpool. Report on the future of aviation in south-east England to be published in the summer. Funding for superfast broadband and wi-fifor the UK's 10 largest cities. VAT "Loopholes and anomalies" to be removed - including removing exemptions for sports nutrition drinks andhot takeaway productsin supermarkets. Self-storage, static caravans and hairdressers' chairs will also no longer be exempt. Existing VAT exemptions will remain for food, children's clothes, books and newspapers. OTHER TAXES AND ALLOWANCES Bank levy to be increased to 0.105% from January 2013 "to ensure that corporation tax cuts do not benefit the banks". The levy will raise £2.5bn a year. New cap on tax reliefs set at 25% of total income for anyone claiming more than £50,000 in a year, but no significant change to pensions relief. Personal tax statement to be sent to 20 million taxpayers from 2014. It will detail an individual's income tax and National Insurance payments and how those contribute to public spending. New general anti-tax avoidance rule to be introduced. Consultation on integrating income tax with National Insurance. ENERGY "Major package of tax changes"to boost oil and gas extraction in North Sea,along with £3bn new field allowance west of Shetland. WELFARE George Osborne said that if reductions in departmental spending continue as they have, further savings of £10bn will be needed by 2016. Treasury officials say it is "very early days", and the chancellor's remarks simply "set out the scale of the challenge". GREEN MEASURES Government to seek "major savings" in the administrative cost of the Carbon Reduction Commitment, and bring forward an alternative environment tax this autumn if such savings cannot be found. |
In Week 11 we lost more players to injury. The most significant one to Washington running back Chris Thompson, who is likely out the rest of the fantasy season. Houston running back D’Onta Foreman finally had his breakout performance, but also tore his Achilles and is lost for the season. Houston has signed Andre Ellington, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, but also has Alfred Blue returning from injury to backup Lamar Miller. Kelvin Benjamin also left his Week 11 game with a knee injury and may miss a couple of week. Week 12 brings us three Turkey Day, Thanksgiving Day games! Remember to set your lineups! We are also officially done with Bye Weeks. For Week 12, there are many good wide receiver options to choose from and even a fair amount of good running back match-ups, so I’m choosing from some of the cheaper DFS options available this week (with the exception of Samaje Perine who gets a higher price tag on the Thursday lineup at Fan Duel). My pickss for Week 12 Wide Receiver and Running Back Start ‘Em, and my picks for top receiver and running back in each Thanksgiving Day game are below. Wide Receivers Best Wide Receiver options in each Thanksgiving Day game: Adam Thielen, Keenan Allen, Josh Doctson Zay Jones – Buffalo @ Kansas City (Draft Kings $4,000 / Fan Duel $5,100) – Jones has scored 17.3 and 10.8 in PPR leagues in his last two outings. Kelvin Benjamin is likely to miss time with a knee injury, so Jones should step in for another solid game against the Chiefs’ 28th ranked pass defense. Rishard Matthews – Tennessee @ Indianapolis (Draft Kings $5,100 / Fan Duel $6,300) – Matthews faces the Colts’ 30th ranked passing defense this week. He is coming off of a 5/113/1 performance against Pittsburgh’s 3rd ranked passing defense, though 75 yards were on one play. This week Matthews should continue the hot streak and see plenty of targets as the Titan’s won’t be able to stop the Colts passing offense either, and this should be a relatively high scoring game. Mohamed Sanu – Atlanta vs Tampa Bay (Draft Kings $5,200 / Fan Duel $5,800) – Sanu caught all three of his targets, for just 34 yards, against Seattle Monday night, but did find the end-zone. He has now scored a touch down in three of the his last four games. His targets should go up against a Tampa defense that gave up 365 yards through the air to Miami in Week 11 and ranks 31st against the pass. Cooper Kupp – LA Rams vs New Orleans (Draft Kings $5,000 / Fan Duel $5,400) – Kupp should see added targets with Robert Woods sidelined with an injury. I’d expect the Rams to play from behind this week against the Saints, which should mean double digit targets for Kupp, and a nice floor for PPR leagues. It will be a bonus if he finds the end-zone for the first time since Week 7. Emmanuel Sanders – Denver @ Oakland (Draft Kings $5,200 / Fan Duel $6,300) – Paxton Lynch gets his turn at running the Denver Broncos offense. He will also be running it for the new Offensive Coordinator, Bill Musgrave who was let go as Offensive Coordinator of the Oakland offense after the 2016 season. Lynch hasn’t been great in the past, otherwise he’d of been the Denver starting quarterback sooner than Week 12, but he has been able to get the ball downfield. This is a good match-up, against an Oakland team ranked 27th against the pass, for Lynch to get his first start this season. I expect both Sanders and Thomas to have good fantasy outings this week. On a side note, Oakland also fired their Defensive Coordinator this week. Running Backs Best Running Back options in each Thanksgiving Day game: Latavius Murray, Melvin Gordon, Samaje Perine Latavius Murray – Minnesota @ Detroit (Draft Kings $4,900 / Fan Duel $6,500) – Detroit struggled to stop the Bears rushing attack in Week 11. This week they face a Minnesota team that, like Chicago, has two quality running backs. I expect Murray to lead the Vikings again in rushing this week and out touch Jerick McKinnon, but both running backs could have quality games. Samaje Perine – Washington vs NY Giants (Draft Kings $5,000 / Fan Duel $7,600) – Perine finally got on track last week against the Saints. This week he gets an even better match-up against the Giants’ 30th ranked rushing defense. Washington should find success on the ground and through the air this week as they work toward a wildcard in the NFC. Dion Lewis – New England vs Miami (Draft Kings $4,800 / Fan Duel $6,200) – Most running backs have found success against the Dolphins lately. Dion Lewis has led the Patriots in rushing the last several weeks, and this week he could have his best performance yet. Lewis was also more involved in the passing game in Week 11 with four receptions. It’s a trend fantasy owners would love to see continue. Devontae Booker – Denver @ Oakland (Draft Kings $3,700 / Fan Duel $5,500) – Booker is emerging as the lead running back in the Denver backfield. Oakland ranks 17th against the run giving up almost 114 yards per game. While a risky start, if Booker gets more carries under the new Offensive Coordinator, he has shown he is an improved running back over his rookie season and is on the cusp of a breakout performance. However, if his carries remain an even split with C.J. Anderson, he is still a viable option in PPR leagues as he has been heavily involved in the passing game of late. Running Back Tandem Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara – New Orleans @ LA Rams (Draft Kings $8,300, $7,900 / Fan Duel $8,200, $8,100) What can I say about running back tandems. Ingram and Kamara have a stranglehold on being the best tandem in the league. Kamara’s numbers were a bit down in Week 11 until the miraculous catch and touch down at the end of the game, but this was mainly do to New Orleans playing from behind. This week they face the Rams who will be missing their top receiver, and though the Rams have been tough against the run over the last month or so the Saints should be able to wear them down and have a big second half on the ground. iTunesSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe via RSSLeave a Review Share this: Reddit Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Tumblr Email Pocket Telegram Pinterest Print Skype WhatsApp |
The Aviation Herald Last Update: Wednesday, Feb 27th 2019 00:05Z 23848 Articles available Events from Jun 19th 1999 to Feb 26th 2019 www.avherald.com Incidents and News in Aviation List by: Filter: Accident: Emirates A388 over Arabian Sea on Jan 7th 2017, wake turbulence sends business jet in uncontrolled descent By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Mar 8th 2017 11:40Z, last updated Thursday, Mar 23rd 2017 20:05Z An Emirates Airbus A380-800, registration A6-EUL performing flight EK-412 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Sydney,NS (Australia), was enroute at FL350 about 630nm southeast of Muscat (Oman) and about 820nm northwest of Male (Maldives) at about 08:40Z when a business jet passed underneath in opposite direction. The A380 continued the flight to Sydney without any apparent incident and landed safely. The business jet, a MHS Aviation (Munich) Canadair Challenger 604 registration D-AMSC performing flight MHV-604 from Male (Maldives) to Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) with 9 people on board, was enroute at FL340 over the Arabian Sea about 630nm southeast of Muscat when an Airbus A380-800 was observed by the crew passing 1000 feet above. After passing underneath the A380 at about 08:40Z the crew lost control of the aircraft as result of wake turbulence from the A380 and was able to regain control of the aircraft only after losing about 10,000 feet. The airframe experienced very high G-Loads during the upset, a number of occupants received injuries during the upset. After the crew managed to stabilize the aircraft the crew decided to divert to Muscat (Oman), entered Omani Airspace at 14:10L (10:10Z) declaring emergency and reporting injuries on board and continued for a landing in Muscat at 15:14L (11:14Z) without further incident. A number of occupants were taken to a hospital, one occupant was reported with serious injuries. The aircraft received damage beyond repair and was written off. Oman's Civil Aviation Authority had told Omani media on Jan 8th 2017, that a private German registered aircraft had performed an emergency landing in Muscat on Jan 7th 2017 declaring emergency at 14:10L (10:10Z) and landing in Muscat at 15:14L (11:14Z). The crew had declared emergency due to injuries on board and problems with an engine (a number of media subsequently reported the right hand engine had failed, another number of media reported the left hand engine had failed). According to information The Aviation Herald received on March 4th 2017 the CL-604 passed 1000 feet below an Airbus A380-800 while enroute over the Arabian Sea, when a short time later (1-2 minutes) the aircraft encountered wake turbulence sending the aircraft in uncontrolled roll turning the aircraft around at least 3 times (possibly even 5 times), both engines flamed out, the Ram Air Turbine could not deploy possibly as result of G-forces and structural stress, the aircraft lost about 10,000 feet until the crew was able to recover the aircraft exercising raw muscle force, restart the engines and divert to Muscat. The Aviation Herald is currently unable to substantiate details of the occurrence, no radar data are available for the business jet, it is therefore unclear when the business jet departed from Male and where the actual "rendezvouz" with the A380 took place. Based on the known time of the occurrence at 08:40Z as well as the time when the CL-604 reached Omani Airspace declaring emergency and landed in Muscat, as well as which A380s were enroute over the Arabian Sea around that time The Aviation Herald believes the most likely A380 was EK-412 and the "rendezvouz" took place 630nm southeast of Muscat, which provides the best match of remaining flying time (2.5 hours) and distance for the CL-604 also considering rather strong northwesterly winds (headwind for the CL-604, tailwind for the A380s) - this analysis was confirmed on Mar 23rd 2017 by BFU information (see below). On Jan 7th 2017 there were also other A380-800s crossing the Arabian Sea from northwest to southeast: a Qantas A380-800, registration VH-OQJ performing flight QF-2 from Dubai to Sydney, was enroute at FL330 about 1000nm southeast of Muscat and about 400nm northwest of Male at 08:40Z. An Emirates A380-800 registration A6-EDO performing flight EK-406 from Dubai to Melbourne,VI (Australia) was enroute at FL350 about 470nm southeast of Muscat at 08:40Z. Another Emirates A380-800 registration A6-EUH performing flight EK-424 from Dubai to Perth,WA (Australia), was enroute at FL350 about 350nm southeast of Muscat at 08:40z. The Aviation Herald received information that Air Traffic Control all around the globe have recently been instructed to exercise particular care with A380s crossing above other aircraft. The Aviation Herald had already reported a number of Wake Turbulence Encounters involving A380s before: Incident: Virgin Australia B738 near Bali on Sep 14th 2012, wake turbulence from A380 Incident: Air France A320 and Emirates A388 near Frankfurt on Oct 14th 2011, wake turbulence Accident: British Airways A320 and Qantas A388 near Braunschweig on Oct 16th 2011, wake turbulence injures 4 Report: Antonov A124, Singapore A388 and Air France B744 near Frankfurt on Feb 10th 2011, wake turbulence by A388 causes TCAS RA Report: REX SF34 at Sydney on Nov 3rd 2008, wake turbulence injures one Incident: Armavia A320 near Tiblisi on Jan 11th 2009, turbulence at cruise level thought to be A380 wake MHS Aviation told The Aviation Herald, that they can not provide any further details due to the ongoing investigation, Germany's BFU is investigating the occurrence (which confirmed The Aviation Herald's assumption, that the occurrence was over international waters, Germany as state of registration of the accident aircraft thus being responsible for the investigation). Authorities in Oman have so far not responded to inquiries by The Aviation Herald. In response to our inquiry summarizing the known information so far as described above (however, mistakenly assuming the date of the occurrence was Jan 8th 2017 based on the information thus far) Germany's BFU confirmed that they are leading the investigation. The occurrence happened already on Jan 7th 2017 at 08:40Z. The BFU is unable to provide further details at this time (in particular to which A380 caused the wake turbulence) because these details are subject to investigation. By Mar 8th 2017 no safety recommendations have yet been issued by the BFU. A preliminary report is estimated to be included in the January 2017 bulletin (which according to "tradition" should be released by mid of March 2017, however, the release of the Jan bulletin can currently not be estimated because so far only the August 2016 bulletin has been released by the BFU, the remaining 2016 bulletins are still being worked on). On Mar 23rd 2017 the BFU mentioned the aircraft passing above the CL-604 was A6-EUL (see below). On Mar 17th 2017 Bombardier (who took over Canadair) told operators of Challenger 604 aircraft in an advisory wire, that the aircraft was at 34,000 feet when it experienced a temporary loss of control which resulted in signficant loss of altitude, abnormal flight attitudes and accelerations beyond the certified flight envelope. Shortly after the event the crew shut one engine down due to a high ITT indication, the other engine remained operational. The crew later on restarted the engine and diverted from their intended destination. There were serious injuries to some passengers. The flight crew reported that shortly before the event an oncoming large transport category aircraft had passed them 1000 feet above, slightly offset to the left. Germany's BFU representing the state of registry of the CL-604 rated the occurrence an accident, the Canadian TSB have assigned an accredited representative to the investigation, Bombardier have assigned a technical advisor to the investigation. Due to the ongoing investigation Bombardier can not provide further comment, the BFU will communicate investigation progress. On Mar 18th 2017 The Aviation Herald received a draft of an EASA safety information bulletin, to be released shortly, stating: With the increase of the overall volume of air traffic and enhanced navigation precision, wake turbulence encounters in the en-route phase of flight above 10 000 feet (ft) mean sea level (MSL) have progressively become more frequent in the last few years. The aim of this SIB is to enhance the awareness of pilots and air traffic controllers of the risks associated with wake turbulence encounters in the en-route phase of flight and provide recommendations with the purpose of mitigating the associated risks. The draft reasons: The basic effects of wake turbulence encounter on a following aeroplane are induced roll, vertical acceleration (can be negative) and loss or gain of altitude. The greatest danger is an induced roll that can lead to a loss of control and possible injuries to cabin crew and passengers. The vortices are also most hazardous to following aircraft during the take-off, initial climb, final approach and landing. However, en-route, the vortices evolves in altitudes at which the rate of decay leads to a typical persistence of 2-3 minutes, with a sink rate of 2-3 metres per second. Wakes will also be transported by wind. Considering the high operating air speeds in cruise, wake can be encountered up to 25 nautical miles (NM) behind the generating aeroplane, with the most significant encounters reported within a distance of 15 NM. This is larger than in approach or departure phases of flight. The encounters are mostly reported by pilots as sudden and unexpected events. The awareness of hazardous traffic configuration and risk factors is therefore of particular importance to anticipate, avoid and manage possible wake encounters. The draft issues following recommendations: As precautionary measures, operators and pilots should be aware that: - As foreseen in Reg. 965/2012 AMC1 to CAT.OP.MPA.170, the announcement to passengers should include an invitation to keep their seat belts fastened, even when the seat belt sign is off, unless moving around the cabin. This minimises the risk of passenger injury in case of a turbulence encounter en-route (wake or atmospheric). - As indicated in ICAO PANS-ATM, for aeroplanes in the heavy wake turbulence category or for Airbus A380-800, the word HEAVY or SUPER, respectively, shall be included immediately after the aeroplane call sign in the initial radiotelephony contact between such aeroplanes and ATS units. - When possible, contrails should be used to visualise wakes and estimate if their flight path brings them across or in close proximity. - When flying below the tropopause altitude, the likelihood of wake encounter increases. The tropopause altitude varies (between days, between locations). - Upwind lateral offset should be used if the risk of a wake encounter is suspected. - Timely selecting seat belt signs to ON and instruct cabin crew to secure themselves constitute precautionary measures in case of likely wake encounters. In case of a wake encounter, pilots should: - Be aware that it has been demonstrated during flight tests that if the pilot reacts at the first roll motion, when in the core of the vortex, the roll motion could be amplified by this initial piloting action. The result can be a final bank angle greater than if the pilot would not have moved the controls. - Be aware that in-flight incidents have demonstrated that pilot inputs may exacerbate the unusual attitude condition with rapid roll control reversals carried out in an out of phase manner. - Be aware that if the autopilot is engaged, intentional disconnection can complicate the scenario, and the autopilot will facilitate the recovery. - Avoid large rudder deflections that can create important lateral accelerations, which could then generate very large forces on the vertical stabiliser that may exceed the structural resistance. Although some recent aircraft types are protected by fly-by-wire systems, use of the rudder does not reduce the severity of the encounter nor does it improve the ease of recovery. - Make use of specific guidance available through AOM for their specific type(s)/fleet. ATS providers and air traffic controllers should: Enhance their awareness about en-route wake turbulence risk, key factors and possible mitigations, based on the information provided in this document and other relevant material. This could be achieved through flyers, e-learning, and refresher training module. Possible risk mitigations may consist of: - Make use of the wake turbulence category (WTC) indication in the surveillance label and/or the flight progress strip (whether electronic or paper), and observe closely separated aeroplanes that are at the opposite extremes of the WTC spectrum; - As the best practice, provide traffic information, advising CAUTION WAKE TURBULENCE, when you identify that a HEAVY or SUPER HEAVY wake category traffic is climbing or descending within 15 NM of another following traffic; - Manage en-route traffic crossings such as , when possible while preserving safe tactical management of overall traffic in the sector, avoiding to instruct climb or descend to HEAVY or SUPER HEAVY traffic within 15 NM distance from another following traffic; - If at all possible, avoid vectoring an aeroplane (particularly if it is LIGHT or MEDIUM category) through the wake of a HEAVY or SUPER HEAVY aeroplane where wake turbulence may exist. On Mar 23rd 2017 the BFU reported D-AMSC flying from Male to Abu Dhabi temporarily lost control in flight, possibly as result of wake vortices created by Emirates Airlines A380-800 registration A6-EUL. The effects of wake turbulence shown by Germany's BFU with an Antonov-2 und a Robin DR-400 (Video: BFU): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXlv16ETueU Photo of the interior of D-AMSC after the upset (Photo: FlightServiceBureau): By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, May 16th 2017 14:36Z, last updated Friday, Jun 30th 2017 17:18Z On May 16th 2017 Germany's BFU released their January 2017 Bulletin in German (the The BFU reported the Challenger had departed Male at 06:52Z, reached cruise flight level 340 at 07:20Z and was enroute along L894 to waypoint KITAL. At 08:18Z the crew reported passing waypoint GOLEM. An Airbus A380-800, serial number 224, (Editorial note: although the BFU is not permitted by German law to identify aircraft, the narrative is consistent with Emirates A388 A6-EUL) had departed Dubai at 06:55Z for Sydney (Australia). The aircraft was enroute at FL350 in southeasterly direction. Analysis of flight data of both aircraft showed, that at 08:38:07Z the A380 passed over the Challenger at 1000 feet vertical separation, about one minute later at 08:38:54Z the Challenger, on autopilot, began to rotate to the right around its longitudinal axis despite ailerons deflected to the left and a light vertical acceleration began. Over the next 10 seconds a right bank of 6-8 degrees were recorded, then the right bank increased to 42 degrees within one second despite left aileron deflection of 20 degrees, a vertical acceleration of +1.6G occurred followed by a vertical acceleration of -3.2G one second later. 13 seconds after the begin of the upset the autopilot disconnected and a master warning activated for 7 seconds. The flight data recorder recorded a loss of altitude of 8700 feet between 08:39:09Z and 08:39:41Z. At 08:39:31Z the airspeed reached 330 KIAS, the left engine's N1 reduced to 40% while the ITT increased to 850 degrees C. The crew shut the left hand engine down. At 08:56Z the crew declared emergency with India's Air Traffic Control, reported their position and what happened, and advised they were diverting to Muscat via waypoint KITAL. At 09:15Z the crew restarted the left engine, climbed back to FL250, engaged the autopilot again at 09:56Z and landed at Muscat at 11:05Z. According to recordings at Omani Air Traffic Control they were informed by India's ATC that the aircraft was at FL230 and was estimated to pass KITAL at 09:37Z. India's ATC reported an engine shut down as cause for the low altitude and advised the crew was diverting to Muscat. The BFU reported the crew first observed the aircraft above them in opposite direction on their TCAS, the captain subsequently identified an A380 and the airline. The A380 passed them slightly to the left and above. A short time later the aircraft was exposed to wake turbulence, the aircraft rolled to the left uncontrollable (editorial note: this testimony seems to be opposite to the FDR recordings reported above), the autopilot disconnected. Both crew applied right aileron, however the aircraft continued to roll left and made several revolutions, both Inertial Reference Systems, the flight management system and the attitude indicators failed. Both pilots were wearing their lap belts and crotch belts, the first officer was also wearing his shoulder harness. The captain lost his head set, the quick reference manual lifted off in the cockpit and was distributed over the cockpit with single pages around the cockpit. Using external horizont reference the captain identified their attitude and was able to stabilize the aircraft again at FL240, he observed the left hand engine's N1 and N2 separated with the N1 reducing, the ITT reached 1000 degrees C and flashed red, the engine was shut down. Using the memory checklists the crew were able to restore Inertial Reference System (IRS) #1 in ATTITUDE Mode which enabled them to continue the flight towards KITAL, subsequently the crew restarted the left engine using cross bleed from the right hand engine. The crew subsequently restored IRS #2, position and heading were entered into the flight management system, then it was possible to engage the autopilot again. The flight attendant reported that she was in the middle of the cabin preparing inflight service when the aircraft made three revolutions around the longitudinal axis according to her recollection. At that time 4 passengers were not in their seats, too. During the revolutions the occupants were thrown against ceiling and seats. The flight attendant received minor injuries, the passengers received bleeding wounds. The BFU reported one passenger received head injuries and a fracture of a rib, another passenger received a vertebral fracture. The flight attendant and the two other injured passengers received bruises respective a nasal fracture. The BFU reported that following the accident the aircraft flew for more than two hours until landing in Muscat, the cockpit voice recorder therefore was overwritten and the accident sequence no longer available on the CVR. The BFU reported that Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures had not been permitted on airway L894 used by the Challenger. The BFU reported that the aircraft sustained no visible damage to fuselage, wings and tailplane including control surfaces. No leakages were observed. The manufacturer however stated, that it was impossible to return the aircraft into airworthy conditions due to accelerations that were beyond the design limits of the aircraft structure. The aircraft was therefore rated substantially damaged. The BFU reported that ICAO introduced a work group in 2003 to develop safety recommendations to reduce the effects of wake turbulence by A380 aircraft to an acceptable level. The work group focussed on aircraft flying on parallel tracks and advised that wake turbulence could occur as far as 20nm behind and 1000 feet below an A388 or other heavy aircraft (including B744 and A346 specifically being mentioned by the work group). The work group also considered particularly strong wake turbulence behind heavy aircraft climbing or descending. The material quoted by the BFU does not mention aircraft flying in opposite direction. DONSA waypoint (Coordinates N14.5886 E65.1925) is located 660nm southeast of Muscat Airport. The cabin of the Challenger seen in direction opposite to flight (Photo: BFU): Flight path of Challenger according to FDR (Graphics: BFU): Flight path of A6-EUL according to Emirates DAR (Graphics: BFU): Flight Data during initial Upset (Graphics: BFU): Flight Data during loss of altitude (Graphics: BFU): Flight Data during recovery (Graphics: BFU): On Jun 22nd 2017 the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) released their Safety Information Bulletin 2017-10 , the draft of which had already been covered in earlier coverage.On May 16th 2017 Germany's BFU released their January 2017 Bulletin in German (the interim report covering this occurrence now also available separately in English) reporting that the Challenger (serial number 5464), carrying 6 passengers and 3 crew, got out of control about one minute after it had been overflown by an Airbus A380. The aircraft lost about 9000 feet before the crew was able to regain control. Two passengers received serious, one member of the crew as well as two other passengers minor injuries. The aircraft diverted to Muscat. As the occurrence happened over international waters the BFU is responsible for the investigation assisted by the investigation bodies of Oman, India, United Arab Emirates, Canada, USA and France.The BFU reported the Challenger had departed Male at 06:52Z, reached cruise flight level 340 at 07:20Z and was enroute along L894 to waypoint KITAL. At 08:18Z the crew reported passing waypoint GOLEM.An Airbus A380-800, serial number 224, (Editorial note: although the BFU is not permitted by German law to identify aircraft, the narrative is consistent with Emirates A388 A6-EUL) had departed Dubai at 06:55Z for Sydney (Australia). The aircraft was enroute at FL350 in southeasterly direction.Analysis of flight data of both aircraft showed, that at 08:38:07Z the A380 passed over the Challenger at 1000 feet vertical separation, about one minute later at 08:38:54Z the Challenger, on autopilot, began to rotate to the right around its longitudinal axis despite ailerons deflected to the left and a light vertical acceleration began. Over the next 10 seconds a right bank of 6-8 degrees were recorded, then the right bank increased to 42 degrees within one second despite left aileron deflection of 20 degrees, a vertical acceleration of +1.6G occurred followed by a vertical acceleration of -3.2G one second later. 13 seconds after the begin of the upset the autopilot disconnected and a master warning activated for 7 seconds.The flight data recorder recorded a loss of altitude of 8700 feet between 08:39:09Z and 08:39:41Z. At 08:39:31Z the airspeed reached 330 KIAS, the left engine's N1 reduced to 40% while the ITT increased to 850 degrees C. The crew shut the left hand engine down.At 08:56Z the crew declared emergency with India's Air Traffic Control, reported their position and what happened, and advised they were diverting to Muscat via waypoint KITAL.At 09:15Z the crew restarted the left engine, climbed back to FL250, engaged the autopilot again at 09:56Z and landed at Muscat at 11:05Z.According to recordings at Omani Air Traffic Control they were informed by India's ATC that the aircraft was at FL230 and was estimated to pass KITAL at 09:37Z. India's ATC reported an engine shut down as cause for the low altitude and advised the crew was diverting to Muscat.The BFU reported the crew first observed the aircraft above them in opposite direction on their TCAS, the captain subsequently identified an A380 and the airline. The A380 passed them slightly to the left and above. A short time later the aircraft was exposed to wake turbulence, the aircraft rolled to the left uncontrollable (editorial note: this testimony seems to be opposite to the FDR recordings reported above), the autopilot disconnected. Both crew applied right aileron, however the aircraft continued to roll left and made several revolutions, both Inertial Reference Systems, the flight management system and the attitude indicators failed. Both pilots were wearing their lap belts and crotch belts, the first officer was also wearing his shoulder harness. The captain lost his head set, the quick reference manual lifted off in the cockpit and was distributed over the cockpit with single pages around the cockpit. Using external horizont reference the captain identified their attitude and was able to stabilize the aircraft again at FL240, he observed the left hand engine's N1 and N2 separated with the N1 reducing, the ITT reached 1000 degrees C and flashed red, the engine was shut down. Using the memory checklists the crew were able to restore Inertial Reference System (IRS) #1 in ATTITUDE Mode which enabled them to continue the flight towards KITAL, subsequently the crew restarted the left engine using cross bleed from the right hand engine. The crew subsequently restored IRS #2, position and heading were entered into the flight management system, then it was possible to engage the autopilot again.The flight attendant reported that she was in the middle of the cabin preparing inflight service when the aircraft made three revolutions around the longitudinal axis according to her recollection. At that time 4 passengers were not in their seats, too. During the revolutions the occupants were thrown against ceiling and seats. The flight attendant received minor injuries, the passengers received bleeding wounds.The BFU reported one passenger received head injuries and a fracture of a rib, another passenger received a vertebral fracture. The flight attendant and the two other injured passengers received bruises respective a nasal fracture.The BFU reported that following the accident the aircraft flew for more than two hours until landing in Muscat, the cockpit voice recorder therefore was overwritten and the accident sequence no longer available on the CVR.The BFU reported that Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures had not been permitted on airway L894 used by the Challenger.The BFU reported that the aircraft sustained no visible damage to fuselage, wings and tailplane including control surfaces. No leakages were observed. The manufacturer however stated, that it was impossible to return the aircraft into airworthy conditions due to accelerations that were beyond the design limits of the aircraft structure. The aircraft was therefore rated substantially damaged.The BFU reported that ICAO introduced a work group in 2003 to develop safety recommendations to reduce the effects of wake turbulence by A380 aircraft to an acceptable level. The work group focussed on aircraft flying on parallel tracks and advised that wake turbulence could occur as far as 20nm behind and 1000 feet below an A388 or other heavy aircraft (including B744 and A346 specifically being mentioned by the work group). The work group also considered particularly strong wake turbulence behind heavy aircraft climbing or descending. The material quoted by the BFU does not mention aircraft flying in opposite direction.DONSA waypoint (Coordinates N14.5886 E65.1925) is located 660nm southeast of Muscat Airport.The cabin of the Challenger seen in direction opposite to flight (Photo: BFU):Flight path of Challenger according to FDR (Graphics: BFU):Flight path of A6-EUL according to Emirates DAR (Graphics: BFU):Flight Data during initial Upset (Graphics: BFU):Flight Data during loss of altitude (Graphics: BFU):Flight Data during recovery (Graphics: BFU): By Ammar kiwan on Sunday, Feb 3rd 2019 12:02Z By Klaus on Thursday, Dec 21st 2017 18:53Z By Jasper on Saturday, Jul 1st 2017 21:08Z By Sina on Saturday, Jul 1st 2017 20:01Z By TangoSierra on Saturday, Jul 1st 2017 18:04Z By Pau on Saturday, Jul 1st 2017 13:20Z By edward on Friday, Jun 30th 2017 19:49Z By anon on Friday, Jun 30th 2017 19:22Z By edward on Friday, Jun 30th 2017 19:12Z By alanauer on Friday, Jun 30th 2017 19:04Z By Airbus lover on Friday, Jun 30th 2017 17:40Z By Laura on Wednesday, Jun 14th 2017 21:14Z By twelvetrees on Friday, May 19th 2017 23:02Z By bob on Friday, May 19th 2017 12:34Z By Mike on Friday, May 19th 2017 11:57Z By QQ on Thursday, May 18th 2017 18:11Z By Eddie on Wednesday, May 17th 2017 22:11Z By MartinR on Wednesday, May 17th 2017 20:47Z By GICASI on Wednesday, May 17th 2017 14:04Z By (anonymous) on Wednesday, May 17th 2017 11:40Z By (anonymous) on Tuesday, May 16th 2017 20:57Z By (anonymous) on Tuesday, May 16th 2017 19:06Z By Ecumenico on Monday, May 8th 2017 20:37Z By Anon on Wednesday, Apr 19th 2017 15:37Z By Nabil on Wednesday, Apr 5th 2017 06:28Z By Airways are less safe today. on Friday, Mar 24th 2017 18:11Z By Gustavo on Friday, Mar 24th 2017 15:21Z By Alex K on Friday, Mar 24th 2017 12:02Z By (anonymous) on Friday, Mar 24th 2017 09:20Z By BOND on Friday, Mar 24th 2017 06:51Z Add your comment: (max 1024 characters) Your Name: Your Email: Subject: Your comment: The Aviation Herald Apps Android and iOS Support The Aviation Herald one time Monthly support 1 €/month Interview: The human factor named "Simon Hradecky" and the team of man and machine Get the news right onto your desktop when they happen © 2008-2019 by The Aviation Herald, all rights reserved, reprint and republishing prohibited. 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Every good actor knows how to play his role, even if he believes he can be the leading man. In New York, Jets quarterback Michael Vick understands he's playing a supporting role to Geno Smith. However, Vick continued his offseason comments about his ability, telling Newsday's Bob Glauber after Tuesday's minicamp practice that he's got enough left in the tank to be a starting NFL signal-caller. Vick believes it's a little early in the game to submit to being a fulltime backup quarterback. "It's different, it's different,'' Vick said of being a backup. "A little premature, if you ask me. "I think being a backup this early in my career is premature,'' he clarified. "I think there are circumstances surrounding that, but I'm confident I'll have an opportunity again.'' Vick, 33, believes his window for being a starting quarterback will be open for several more years. "Maybe three years,'' he said. "I still feel good. My coaches say I don't look like I've lost anything. I'm still going strong.'' Vick signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Jets and sounds committed to finding a spot where he can start in the future. "Will it be here? I don't know,'' he told Glauber. "I can't say where it's going to be, but I think I'll have an opportunity again.'' Vick reiterated that he had "an understanding of what it was going to be" when he signed with the Jets. (Likely that understanding was he would be an insurance policy if Smith bombed). Still, for a man with one of the most turbulent careers, Vick knows there are worse places to be than the Jets' backup. "You just have to keep the faith,'' he said. "It's all that you can do. A lot of situations are beyond my control, but you know what? I spent 18 months in prison not playing football. I'm playing football, so I've got nothing to complain about. That keeps it in perspective for me.'' In the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the heroes discuss which teams "realistically" have no shot at winning the Super Bowl this season. |
This article is over 1 year old ‘The Fair Go’ will take aim at organisations such as Getup!, which have developed effective digital campaigns while the party has lagged behind Liberals launch website to lure swing voters and take on activist groups Australia’s Liberal party has launched a new website that it says will help seduce swing voters its way and challenge rival campaigning organisations such as Getup!. The acting Liberal party director, Andrew Bragg, launched “The Fair Go” website on Saturday, which is operated by the party. Bragg used his speech to the party’s federal council as a call to arms to modernise or perish. He said the party had to deal with a “cashed up cabal” of opposition to its interests. Former Abbott and Turnbull adviser Andrew Hirst to lead Liberals Read more Senior members of government and Liberal figures have been taking aim at organisations such as Getup!, which have excelled at developing novel and effective digital campaigns at a time when the Liberal party has struggled to keep pace. The Fair Go site appears to be, in part, a response to some of these new types of campaigning and, according to Bragg, will help bolster the party’s efforts to “seize the opportunities in the digital age”. The Wordpress site includes posts with titles such as “Women are just people”, “Who’s your grand-daddy?” and “From laissez-faire to much, much fairer”. It also includes three “words of the week” that will change weekly. The inaugural locutions are “needs based, union and slamming”. Andrew Bragg (@ajamesbragg) The Fair Go launched today at #LibCouncil https://t.co/7gpi5l48BV@LiberalAus A review of the party’s last election campaign by Andrew Robb set out a series of concerns with the Liberal party’s election campaign efforts, and found they were being outgunned and outspent by Labor and progressive activist groups. Bragg told the federal council: “Publish or perish must be our credo.” He said the website “will be a publication which reaches beyond the existing cohort of fellow travellers to speak to undecided and swing voters”. “It is designed to support the Coalition’s overarching narrative into social platforms and arm supporters with bottom up perspectives on public policy issues.” The website appears to feature a cast of characters mostly linked to the Liberal party. Peter Dutton is using citizenship laws to campaign for Liberal leadership, Labor says Read more Parnell McGuiness, a communications consultant who is the managing director of Thought Broker, is listed as the editor of the site. Penny Fischer, a Camden Liberal councillor and the daughter of Pru Goward, has also produced work for the site. Brigid Meney, a policy officer at Cornerstone Group Australia and former Liberal party political adviser, has contributed as well. The site’s privacy policy makes it clear that the Liberal party collects users’ personal information and may contact them if they sign up to the site. It is Bragg’s final speech in his role as acting director of the party following Brian Loughnane’s departure. Former Liberal party staffer Andrew Hirst has been named the new director. It is not the first time major parties have attempted more aggressive communication strategies. The Labor party launched the Labor Herald in 2015, which produced news and analysis for the party faithful. It no longer publishes content, and the website now directs users to a page that says it is “currently on hiatus”. |
A Chinese family has been making shoes in Bag Bazar for 45 years Wong Shiao Leung was holding up a pair of brogues, describing them for a customer at his shop in Bag Bazar, when he was interrupted by his youngest daughter. They had a brief conversation in Hakka, spoken mainly in southern China. Wong’s ancestors migrated to India from China more than 150 years ago, and his father moved from Kolkata to Kathmandu during the 1962 Sino-Indian war during which many Chinese in India were taken to internment camps. The Chinese family has been preserving its roots by continuing to make leather shoes and speaking Hakka. “Nationality is without borders, whereas language is one’s identity,” says Wong, 41, who was born in Kathmandu. “We feel lucky that we weren’t forced to uproot ourselves from our culture like many in Assam and Calcutta after the war.” After arriving in Nepal, the Wongs resumed the family craft of shoe-making, opening a retail shop in Bagbazar: Wong & Co Chinese Shoes which sells men’s dingo boots, brogues, chain boots, uniform boots and Chelsea boots. Several other handmade designs are available for men but female leather shoes are by custom order only. To cater to other customers, Wong now also imports 20% of his wares from China. BIKRAM RAI People in Kathmandu still have little knowledge about handmade leather shoes and don’t trust local products, and Wong has noticed the younger generation prefers style over durability, which makes his business more difficult. “Handmade leather shoes are slightly more expensive than readymade ones because of their quality and durability. Even the sole has to be handmade,” he explains. If imported, a pair of genuine, leather brogues costs at least US$100. At Wong’s the same quality shoes are available for less than US$60, including a one-year warranty. The shoemaker is not ready to compromise on quality. Although his sales have gone down over the last decade, he is committed to continue making quality products, and is optimistic: “People don’t trust the local products now, but they will eventually.” Wong is prepared to expand his business, but his status in Nepal won’t permit it. Although he was born here, he is unable to get Nepali citizenship because his father was born in India. “I have plans to expand the business by buying a piece of land and exporting shows, but I can’t because I don’t have Nepali citizenship,” he says. Wong pays monthly taxes to the government and has employed more than 20 people in his factory in Kalanki. He says he can easily get Indian citizenship if he returns to India, but he wants to stay in Nepal: “I have called Kathmandu my home my whole life and I want to live the rest of my years here.” Read also: Dulla and the shoe factory, Tshering Dolker Gurung |
The actual inventor of Festivus is Dan O'Keefe, 76, whose son Daniel, a writer on "Seinfeld," appropriated a family tradition for the episode. The elder Mr. O'Keefe was stunned to hear that the holiday, which he minted in 1966, is catching on. "Have we accidentally invented a cult?" he wondered. Maybe. To postulate grandly, the rise of Festivus, a bare-bones affair in which even tinsel is forbidden, may mean that Americans are fed up with the commercialism of the December holidays and are yearning for something simpler. Or it could be that Festivus is the perfect secular theme for an all-inclusive December gathering (even better than Chrismukkah, popularized by the television show "The O.C."). Or maybe, postulating smally, it's just irresistibly silly. Interpretations of the holiday's rules differ among Festivus fundamentalists. Take the pole. On the show Frank Costanza says it must be aluminum and "it requires no decoration." But he does not specify what should hold it up nor its exact height. Krista Soroka, 33, the host of a annual Festivus party in Tampa Bay, sank her five-footer into a green plastic pot filled with sand this year. "It's just an aluminum pole," she said, "like Frank says.' After her party last year, she gave each of the 100 guests a miniature: a two-inch-tall ceramic pot filled with plaster of paris with a nail sticking out of the center. Mike Osiecki, 26, a financial analyst in Atlanta, scheduled his Festivus gathering for friends and colleagues for Friday. He said his pole, which he bought for $10 at Home Depot, is suspended by fishing line on his porch, so "people can stare at it or dance around it if they want to." Aaron Roberts, 28, a zoology graduate student in Oxford, Ohio, unscrewed a post from a set of metal shelves and sank it through the top of a cardboard box with weights inside. Advertisement Continue reading the main story In Chicago, Ms. Galdes anchored her six-and-a-half-footer in a Christmas tree stand. "This year I am not having a tree," she said. Scott McLemee, a writer, and his wife, Rita Tehan, had no pole at all at their party in the Dupont Circle neighborhood in Washington. They are two of the Festivus faithful who held their parties early in December before friends headed home for more traditional affairs. Both Dan O'Keefe and his son bless the variations. The original Festivus was constantly in flux. "It was entirely more peculiar than on the show," the younger Mr. O'Keefe said from the set of the sitcom "Listen Up," where he is now a writer. There was never a pole, but there were airings of grievances into a tape recorder and wrestling matches between Daniel and his two brothers, among other rites. 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. "There was a clock in a bag," said Mr. O'Keefe, 36, adding that he does not know what it symbolized. "Most of the Festivi had a theme," he said. "One was, 'Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?' Another was, 'Too easily made glad?' " His father, a former editor at Reader's Digest, said the first Festivus took place in February 1966, before any of his children were born, as a celebration of the anniversary of his first date with his wife, Deborah. The word "Festivus" just popped into his head, he said from his home in Chappaqua, N.Y. The holiday evolved during the 1970's, when the elder Mr. O'Keefe began doing research for his book "Stolen Lightning" (Vintage 1983), a work of sociology that explores the ways people use cults, astrology and the paranormal as a defense against social pressures. Festivus, with classic rituals like familial gatherings, totemic-but-mysterious objects and respect for ancestors, slouched forth from this milieu. "In the background was Durkheim's 'Elementary Forms of Religious Life,' " Mr. O'Keefe recalled, "saying that religion is the unconscious projection of the group. And then the American philosopher Josiah Royce: religion is the worship of the beloved community." If Mr. O'Keefe is the real father of Festivus, Jerry Stiller, the actor who played Frank Costanza, George Costanza's father, is its Santa Claus. "I'll take that mantle," Mr. Stiller said in an interview from poolside at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, where he was awaiting the premiere of "Meet the Fockers," a new film featuring his real son, Ben Stiller. "I'll wear my crown." Advertisement Continue reading the main story Mr. Stiller, 77, has his own interpretation of the Festivus rituals as portrayed on the "Seinfeld" episode, especially the feats of strength, which end with a wrestling match between him and George. "It was another kind of way with dealing with something else that was going on at the time: the rebelliousness of the son against the father and the father trying to prove he was still stronger than the son," he said. "It was like King Lear." (In this case, though, the old man wins.) Infused as Festivus is with so much potential meaning, it is not far-fetched to imagine it as a permanent part of the American holiday firmament, said Anthony F. Aveni, a professor of astronomy and anthropology at Colgate and the author of "The Book of the Year: A Brief History of Our Seasonal Holidays" (Oxford University Press, 2002). After all, Halloween used to be an obscure festival observed by few, Kwanzaa was invented by an academic in California in the 1960's, and Hanukkah has been reinvented in modern times to include gift-giving. "Even Christmas comes out of a pagan holiday that happened around the solstice," Professor Aveni said. The holiday does seem to be evolving. The Festivus party to be given in Austin on Christmas Eve eve by Katherine Willis, an actress, and her husband is to include a backyard game of "pitching washers." "There's basically a hole in the ground," she said. "You try to throw the washers in the hole, and apparently the more you drink the better you get at it." A Web site she has set up, www.kwillis.com/festivus.html, provides downloads of a feats of strength challenge card, a list of grievances form and Festivus greeting cards, including one that reads, in a Hallmark-like typeface, "You're a disappointment! Happy Festivus!" Another Web site, www .crazygrrl.com, offers Festivus e-mail cards. Ms. Soroka, in Tampa Bay, who has guests write their grievances in a ledger so she can show it at parties all year long, has added karaoke this year. Some things just grow. "Last year," said Ms. Galdes of Chicago, "there was break dancing. I don't know how that happened." |
The federal government has failed to give VIA Rail Canada long-term strategic direction, forcing it to operate in a “reactive, short-term management mode,” according to the auditor general’s spring 2016 report. Since 2008, VIA has been unable to obtain the government’s approval of its corporate plan for a full five-year planning period, the report notes. In addition, their corporate plans have tended to be approved between September and December, just months before the end of the corporation’s fiscal year, “leaving VIA very little time to implement these plans economically, efficiently, and effectively.” “VIA had systems and practices in place allowing it to clarify its mandate and to define its long-term strategic direction, its vision and objectives, and measures to be taken to achieve its objectives,” the report says. But “in the absence of a long-term strategic direction approved by the government and a corporate plan approved for the full planning period,” it adds, “VIA had been kept in a reactive, short-term management mode.” The auditor general recommends that VIA Rail Canada, in co-operation with the government, review its existing government system and make the appropriate changes. “The Corporation’s planning and operational effectiveness would be greatly enhanced through multi-year approval and funding of its long-term plans. Management has worked with Transport Canada toward this objective and obtained a multi-year funding envelope ending in March 2017,” VIA Rail Canada responded. “Furthermore, the Corporation’s management has begun working with Transport Canada to confirm its long-term strategy.” In 2015, it adds, management developed two initiatives it hopes will improve the corporation’s services and ensure its long-term financial sustainability. It also hopes to have its corporate plan approved by government officials in a timely manner moving forward. One initiative is to renew its equipment fleet for services in the Québec City–Windsor corridor. “Nearly 200 cars will need to be replaced,” VIA Rail notes. “The second initiative is to mitigate issues resulting from having to share tracks with freight trains. A project to build dedicated tracks for the busiest segment of VIA’s network, that is, the Toronto–Ottawa–Montréal corridor, is being examined. This four-year project could begin as early as 2016 and be completed in 2019.” Speaking on his way into a cabinet meeting, Transport Minister Marc Garneau said he is taking the auditor general’s findings seriously and will address the weaknesses he identified. “We have very clearly said that we are taking a long-term view. We have, in fact, put some funding into looking at their proposal for a high frequency rail. We’re looking at that,” he said. In a press conference late Tuesday morning, Auditor General Michael Ferguson told reporters that the responsibility for making sure there is an approved long-term plan for VIA Rail fundamentally falls to the department of transport. “I think in that report you will see that, over a five-year period, their revenue went up by about $5 million but their expenses went up by about $60 million. Ridership went down by about eight per cent,” he said. “That would really call into question at what level they’re going to be able operate moving into the future. So it’s very important that they have clear instruction from the government about what the government’s expectations and plans are for VIA.” With files from Elizabeth Thompson |
(CNN) Senate intelligence committee leaders on Wednesday plan to detail the conclusions they've already drawn in their months-long investigation into Russia's meddling into the 2016 US election -- and what they plan to do about it. Senate intelligence chairman Richard Burr and ranking Democrat Mark Warner are holding a news conference to provide a progress report on their investigation into Russia's election meddling and possible collusion with associates of President Donald Trump. A committee source told CNN that the event was a chance to provide metrics explaining what the panel has uncovered to date confirming the Russian meddling, as well as to "sound the alarm" about the President's refusal to explicitly state that Russia was responsible. Burr and Warner are considering what steps Congress can take to protect future elections, the source said, both in terms of stopping hacking state election infrastructure as well as preventing the abuse of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Google. Burr said ahead of the news conference that he and Warner were holding it to explain "the things we are either close to closing the book on or have closed the book on." "It'll go into pretty good depth on the elections, and talk a little bit about where we go from here," he said. The committee teased that news was coming in its advisory about the news conference, but Burr was cagey about what he planned to say. "Good things come to those who wait, so I'll let you wait until 12:15 to get an update on the progress of the investigation," Burr told reporters. The Senate intelligence committee is one of three congressional committees that are probing events related to Russia's election meddling and potential collusion between Trump's team and the Russian government, along with the federal investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. The Senate panel's investigation has taken on a two-pronged approach -- interviewing intelligence community officials and others to confirm the intelligence community's election meddling, while at the same time interviewing Trump officials like former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner to probe possible collusion with Russian officials. The question of collusion is not expected to be one of the things the committee is closing the book on yet. Warner told reporters last month that he doesn't see how committee's investigation wraps up by the end of the year because of all the new leads that have emerged from Trump's associates, such as the June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer and Manafort, Kushner and Donald Trump Jr. "Normally the way these things wrap up is you start running out of new information. That's not the case," said Sen. Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat. "We're months and months into this, and we keep finding plenty of more stuff to look into." Here's a look at the key facets of the Russia investigation: Russian influence on social media Russia's use of social media has become a major focus in both the House and Senate intelligence committee investigations, and the social media companies have been invited to testify before both panels. Warner is also drafting legislation that would add disclosures to political ads on social media websites. "It's clear that Facebook, Google and Twitter must do a better job of disclosing where ads come from, helping us with enforcing the law that prohibits foreign governments from making contributions to political campaigns, which ads essentially are," said Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, an intel member. Facebook on Monday provided the congressional committees with the 3,000 Russian-linked election ads, which the social media company discovered from 470 inauthentic accounts. Facebook said in a statement Tuesday, that "About 1% of the ads used a specific type of Custom Audiences targeting to reach people on Facebook who had visited that advertiser's website or liked the advertiser's Page — as well as to reach people who are similar to those audiences. None of the ads used another type of Custom Audiences targeting based on personal information such as email addresses." Facebook said Monday that an estimated 10 million people viewed the ads , which cost $100,000. The company said it did not plan to release the ads publicly, citing its privacy policy, but many lawmakers would like to do so ahead of the public hearings on the issue. Burr, however, is not among them. "We don't release documents. It's a bad precedent to set for anybody else that would produce documents," Burr said. Facebook's cooperation with the congressional panels has put it in a better place than Twitter, which received a tongue-lashing from Warner after the company briefed Senate intel staffers last week that it had taken action on roughly 200 Russian-linked accounts. "Their response was frankly inadequate on almost every level," Warner told reporters. Kushner email issues The Senate intelligence committee grew concerned last week over reports that Kushner was using a second, private email address. Kushner has already appeared for a closed-door interview with the panel, and Burr and Warner wrote to Kushner's attorney last week saying they were not told of the additional email -- and to double check if there were any relevant emails inside the personal account. Burr told CNN Monday that Kushner's camp had responded that there were not in fact any new relevant emails. But Politico reported Monday evening that White House officials were reviewing a third email account associated with Kushner and Ivanka Trump's private domain, raising new questions. New Trump associate Russia contacts The connections between Russian officials and Trump's associates continue to be revealed as the congressional and special counsel investigations march on. On Monday, The Washington Post reported Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen exchanged emails about attending an economic conference in Russia, and he received a 2015 proposal for a Moscow residential project, according to newly disclosed emails turned over to investigators. He did not attend the conference or pursue the residential proposal, according to the Post. Cohen also reached out to the Kremlin for assistance in another project to build a Trump Tower in Moscow in early 2016. Cohen will testify publicly before the Senate intelligence committee later this month, after his closed-door interview was canceled in response to a statement he issued to the media denying any collusion with the Russian government. Alan Garten, general counsel for the Trump Organization, said in a statement that the newly disclosed Moscow proposal needed to be understood "in context." "Like any other international real estate brand, it is not uncommon for third party developers to submit proposals for potential real estate projects all over the world," he said, adding that only a "very small percentage of these proposals are ever pursued." More Russia developments Russia's election hacking remains a thorny problem for Congress and the Trump administration, particularly as it looks ahead to the next election cycle. The Department of Homeland Security has said that Russian hackers tried to breach state election systems in 21 states , and last month they informed the states that were targeted. New reports also keep emerging about the ways that hacking the US government could have occurred. Reuters reported on Monday that Hewlett Packard Enterprise allowed a Russian defense agency to review the source code of cyber defense software used by the Pentagon to guard its computer networks, citing Russian regulatory documents. HPE said it allows Russian government-accredited testing companies to review the source code in order to secure certifications needed to sell products to Russia's public sector, and the reviews are conducted in a manner to ensure the source code is not compromised, according to Reuters. No "backdoor vulnerabilities" were discovered in the company's Russian review. |
Mike Marsh (L) and Colin Pascoe (C) were long-time assistants to Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers Joe Allen is dismayed at Liverpool's decision to sack mentor Colin Pascoe from the Anfield backroom staff. Pascoe worked alongside Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers at Swansea and moved to Anfield with him in the summer of 2012. But the assistant manager was sacked last week after an end-of-season review with the club's American owners. "I'm very disappointed, he's been someone who's been instrumental in my career," said Wales midfielder Allen, who came through the ranks at Swansea. "We've worked together for... must be nine years, so he's been a huge part of my career, a massive help to me on a personal level. Liverpool signed Wales midfielder Joe Allen from Swansea in August 2012 "I'm very grateful for all the effort he's put in with me and it's certainly without someone like Pas's help I doubt I'd be playing at a club like Liverpool." Former Wales, Swansea and Sunderland midfielder Pascoe still had 12 months left to run on his deal, while first-team coach Mike Marsh has not had his contract renewed. The coaching reshuffle follows a disappointing season for Liverpool, who finished sixth in the Premier League - out of the Champions League qualification places - and ended their season with a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Stoke City. Allen was one of Rodgers' first signings at Liverpool, joining the Reds in August 2012 for £15m. |
Former superstar Daisuke Matsuzaka, who returned to Japan after mixed results in eight seasons in the majors to sign with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, has not appeared in a single game for the big club this season. Softbank paid ¥400 million to bring Matsuzaka back to Japan and at the halfway mark of the season he is still on the farm team. Wow. The truth is that the former Seibu Lions ace has become an afterthought. It was sure hard to envision this when the Boston Red Sox paid over $103 million between the posting fee and contract to acquire Matsuzaka back in 2007. It speaks to how fleeting fame can be. Matsuzaka joined the late Hideki Irabu and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome among the biggest Japanese busts ever to play stateside. Irabu committed suicide four years ago this month at the age of 42, frustrated by his lot in life after being unable to land a job in pro baseball after his playing days were over. Fukudome, now 38, is doing well with Hanshin this season. Signed by the Chicago Cubs as a free agent for the 2008 season to a four-year $48 million contract, he didn’t pan out in the States, but is hitting .275, with 15 homers and 45 RBIs for the Tigers. Matsuzaka is only 34, but with the flame on his career flickering, I’m already wondering what he is going to do with the rest of his life. I’ll bet he is, too. Hard to believe: The NPB season has reached the All-Star break and not a single team in the Central League is over .500. The first-place Yokohama BayStars are the closest at 42-42-1. Meanwhile, the Hawks lead the Pacific League with a 50-28-3 record at the midway point of the campaign. Cheap entertainment: The press conference of Australia’s Bernard Tomic after losing to Novak Djokovic in the third round at Wimbledon recently was something else. The 22-year-old ripped Tennis Australia and Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter, whom he called an “actor,” amongst other things. The federation responded by suspending Tomic, the second time it has done so, for this weekend’s Davis Cup quarterfinal against Kazakhstan in Darwin. While most would say that Tomic’s remarks were out of line, there was something refreshing about an athlete speaking their mind and not sugar-coating their true feelings. Then Tomic went out and got arrested in Miami on Wednesday for resisting arrest and trespassing. Good grief. Bad timing: It was tough luck for Kei Nishikori having to withdraw from Wimbledon after his first-round victory with a calf injury. Coming off a loss in the quarterfinals of the French Open to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Nishikori’s Grand Slam hopes for this year are now down to the U.S. Open, where he made the final in 2014. A bit unusual: It was a compelling Wimbledon final between Djokovic and Roger Federer. The 17-time Grand Slam champion put up a good battle before falling in four sets. What I found most amazing was that almost the entire crowd at Centre Court was rooting against the world No. 1. The nostalgia for the seven-time Wimbledon champion was certainly understandable, but in the end I think it mostly served to motivate Djokovic even more to win. Trying again: In a bid to give Japan a better shot at a medal in the figure skating team event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, Russia’s Alexandr Zaboev has become the new pairs partner of Narumi Takahashi. The 25-year-old, who did not compete last season, will be eligible to skate in the world championships with Takahashi, but would have to become a Japanese citizen to compete with her in the Olympics. The interesting note here is that Zaboev has already gone this route once before. He skated pairs with Estonia’s Natalja Zabijako for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons and tried to become an Estonian citizen so they could compete at last year’s Sochi Olympics. Zaboev’s bid for citizenship was denied. Reloading: The Japan women’s volleyball team has work to do it if hopes to medal at next month’s World Cup here. Coach Masayoshi Manabe, who led the squad to the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, is working new players into the team during the ongoing World Grand Prix, but losses to Italy and China last weekend in Saitama mean it won’t be easy for Japan to make the medal stand. The play of newcomer Airi Miyabe, the Japanese-Nigerian high school student from Osaka who made her senior debut in Saitama, was a bright spot. |
Lukot / Sea Hare Secretions by Marketman They looked like really cool noodles, and in varying shades of green. Sort of like sea soba. But lukot, a Visayan ingredient, is something that I had NEVER seen before. So I asked the vendor at the Bogo market what it was… They smiled and said it was sea cucumber poop, or what appeared to be translated as sea cucumber poop. Omigod is right! Perhaps something was lost in translation, so I asked several others what it was… and roughly translated, they said “it comes out of a sea cucumber, they leave it in piles on the sea floor…” well, that didn’t help. So I took the photos and figured I could do some research later. Then just hours later, I saw the same ingredient on the island of Malapascua, and they said it was sea cucumber eggs, but they couldn’t explain why it came in so many shades of green and yellow brown, nor why a sea cucumber would just lay them on the seabed, for all the predators to scoop up with ease. And I admit I have bad eyesight, but I looked at these “noodles” really closely and couldn’t discern any individual eggs so I was a bit concerned… A little more googling back home yielded some alarming results. Was it actually sea cucumber poop? Bunches of sea cucumber eggs? Some other unusual stuff??? Some writers or bloggers simply ignored or avoided mentioning what it actually was altogether, choosing to call it marine spaghetti, spaghettini look-alike, seaweed, etc. But this very helpful forum seems to be reasonably logical and it identifies this as the secretions of a sea hare (dolabella auricularia) or dongsul/donsol/sometimes b’at, not exactly the sea cucumber I had in mind, the long black things from my childhood that we used to viciously (as some kids can be vicious) step on them in shallow waters to watch them shoot out a milky liquid on trips to the Batangas sea shore. The secretions include strings of eggs of the sea hare (scroll down the link to find sea hare), and the various shades of green are driven by the types of algae the sea hare has consumed in the recent past. They counsel that the color of the lukot is irrelevant, and that despite no other sea creature finding these low hanging fruit, or should I say easily munched on eggs, appetizing, us humans find them tasty and a great addition to various dishes… hmmm… A little bit more research convinced me that sea cucumber poop would have a lot of sand in it, and these green noodle like things didn’t seem to have any sand in them… So I personally prefer to describe them as Sea Hare Secretions… Some folks enjoy this kilawin style, fresh from the sea, with some coconut vinegar, chillies and chopped shallots. Others enjoy this added to tinowa, a staple soup in Cebu and the surrounding islands in the Visayas (though called by different names throughout the region). The lukot cooks up like noodles and has a distinct taste, though most can’t describe the actual taste. I was actually wracking my brain for some other food item anywhere on the planet made up of the poop of an animal but I couldn’t, so I thought we were unique… In fact, the closest I could think of was kopi luwak, the beans that had been munched on and passed through the intestinal tract of a civet, then roasted and enjoyed in your fine china coffee cup… But actually, this lukot isn’t poop at all. In fact, maybe I should re-brand it as “Sea Hare Caviar” and start charging an arm and a leg for it from visiting foodies looking for something new and exciting to taste… :) |
THE truth is out there -- and if a senior garda, a Fianna Fail politician and a pilot are to be believed, aliens are keeping a close eye on us from above. THE truth is out there -- and if a senior garda, a Fianna Fail politician and a pilot are to be believed, aliens are keeping a close eye on us from above. Dramatic eye-witness testimony was heard at a conference over the weekend which, delegates were told, provided "definitive" proof of recent UFO activity in the skies around north Dublin and Meath. Footage, filmed on a camera phone at 10.35pm on August 3 near Dunboyne was also played and replayed to over 70 delegates who attended the fifth Irish International UFO conference in Carrick-on-Shannon. The triangular shaped image, with lights at each point, which appeared to send a red laser-type light towards earth, drew gasps of amazement from the 70 or so delegates who attended the world premiere of the footage. Unusual A senior garda officer who was driving when he noticed the unusual light formation in the sky stopped to film it. "There is no footage like this in the world. It is the most amazing and spectacular I have ever seen," said Carl Nally, co-founder of UFO and Paranormal Research Ireland and joint author of 'Conspiracy of Silence'. Five days earlier, on July 29, an off-duty pilot who photographed lightning from Howth pier just after midnight later noticed what appeared to be a triangular-shaped object to the right of the lightning fork in the developed image. And Fianna Fail Town Councillor in Trim, Jimmy Peppard, ran indoors for a camera on August 8 when he spotted a triangular-shaped object measuring "about a mile in diameter" in the sky, where it remained static for about half an hour. "What we have here is sightings of three objects east, west and south-east of Dublin airport, each five days apart by reliable and trained observers and even since I have arrived here I have received another image from a pilot," Mr Nally told the conference. He later described the laser beam footage as the best footage on the planet and said it would be shown all over the world. "This is what the sceptics are crying out for. What all this footage has in common is that trained observers, honest people, took it. What better could you get than a senior garda, a politician and a pilot," he said. He added that he would not rule out speculation that increased UFO activity in the north Dublin and Meath areas was linked to the road construction works near Tara. "We cannot rule this out as a possibility. We are talking about a very ancient sacred place," he said. Ross Hemsworth, who presents a TV show on Sky which investigates the paranormal, said he would reserve judgment until he examined the footage more closely. "There have been a lot of sightings in Ireland in a lot of strange places and the proximity to the digging of the motorway may have opened things up," he said. Delegates at the two-day event, organised by Betty Meyler, President of the UFO Society of Ireland, otherwise immersed themselves in talk of orbs, luminosity, crop circles, alien abductions and star children. And ex-oilfield executive Ian Crane warned of plans for a fake alien invasion to be staged at the 2012 Olympics in London by the terrorists behind 9/11 and other atrocities, in their quest for global control. For organiser Betty Meyler the conference provided an opportunity for like-minded people to come together and make friends. "Before, people were afraid to report sightings because they did not want to be thought of as 'cuckoo' but that has changed now," she said. |
A 12-year-old boy has become the youngest person in Britain to have a gastric band fitted, as doctors struggle to fight the child obesity epidemic. The schoolboy is one of an increasing number of youngsters who have had the controversial weight-loss operations, despite recommendations that such high-risk surgery should be a last resort when other efforts to slim down have failed. Figures seen by The Mail on Sunday show that 62 young people aged 18 or under had the stomach-shrinking surgery at NHS and private hospitals over a three-year period. They include the 12-year-old, one boy aged 13 and two boys aged 15. Scroll down for video Indulgent: Natalie admits she gives daughter Talulah, aged four, sweets 'for an easy life' Leading doctors and dentists blame parents for letting their children become so unhealthy that they need surgery – not just gastric bands but also operations to remove rotten teeth caused by sugary diets. Professor Monty Duggal, head of paediatric dentistry at Leeds Dental Institute, who regularly operates on obese children to remove decayed teeth, said it was ‘a matter of national shame that we have these health problems when we are a wealthy, developed nation. The treatments I carry out all cost taxpayers money. ‘[Yet] as a professional in my field I have to approach parents with great caution. I can’t accuse parents of anything. But of course the parent is responsible for the child’s welfare and health.’ He added that social workers would be quick to step in at any sign of a parent abusing a child, ‘yet you can have a child with up to 20 decayed teeth in their mouth, a big fat face, seriously ill and having to be admitted to hospital for a serious operation under general anaesthetic without consequence for the parent.’ Denisa, 13, visits King’s College Hospital in London with her parents to be assessed for the £12,000 surgery 'One last treat': Denisa and her family in McDonald's - minutes after she was assessed for surgery His comments come as a new Channel 4 documentary series reveals some of the extreme cases doctors have to deal with at specialist NHS clinics that offer gastric bands to under 18s. The two-part series called Junk Food Kids: Who’s To Blame? features one 13-year-old schoolgirl who weighs 16st. Denisa, who came to Britain from Romania four years ago, visits King’s College Hospital in London with her parents to be assessed for the £12,000 surgery. During a consultation about the operation, Denisa’s mother, who is not named in the programme, is questioned about the efforts her daughter has made to lose weight. It's a matter of national shame that we have these health problems when we are a wealthy, developed nation Speaking in broken English, she explains: ‘We keep on diet, all three together. It was very good, but now we cannot keep. She cannot give up bread – she likes very much.’ The family are given a detailed diet plan when they leave in a final attempt to try reduce Denisa’s weight without surgery. But just 15 minutes later, the family are shown heading straight to a nearby McDonald’s for ‘one last treat’. The documentary series also features children attending NHS obesity services in Leeds and being treated for associated conditions such as dental decay. One of these youngsters is four-year-old Talulah, who due to her weight struggles to fit into a uniform designed for nine-year-olds for her first day at school. In a shameful admission, her mother, referred to only by her first name Natalie, says despite her daughter’s obesity problems she continues to indulge her with sweets for an ‘easy life’. ‘I like to just have an easy life,’ the 29-year-old says. ‘I think everyone just wants an easy life. Sometimes I think to myself no I shouldn’t give in – but I do.’ In another heartbreaking scene, Talulah is seen in tears after surgery to remove eight of her teeth, which have badly decayed because of her sugary diet. But Natalie seems equally unapologetic about the situation. She said: ‘I know that’s my fault, but it was easier for me on a night to give her a bottle of juice than to try to sit up with her all night and get her back to sleep.’ In the same documentary, consultant Fiona Campbell, who works at Leeds Children’s Hospital said: ‘I think the parents have to be blamed for overweight children, but they have to be helped. Critic: Professor Monty Duggal blames parents ‘Although this is difficult for them – and we can understand chastising children and stopping them doing what they want is difficult – I’m afraid that’s their responsibility. It comes with being a parent.’ Denisa’s family also continues to make a string of excuses about their daughter’s failure to reduce her dangerously high weight and why they are putting her forward for the surgery. Her father Virgil says: ‘Dieting, changing your eating style, is about the power of willing. ‘And we’ve demonstrated we’re not that strong. ‘She tried to lose weight when she was 11 and 12, but got fatter and fatter. But with surgery you don’t have to give up on temptations.’ Denisa herself admits: ‘My parents find it hard to keep to a diet. That’s why I can’t keep to a diet because they find it hard.’ Gastric band surgery is only offered to obese patients as a last resort, and children or teenagers must meet a strict criteria before they are even considered for the procedure. To qualify they must have a body mass index of more than 40, have reached puberty, have first tried to slim through dieting or exercise, and have a full understanding of the psychological implications. Some parents, when they come to us, have the idea that if their child has the surgery it will act like a magic wand But even with these stringent rules, Government figures show the number of young people under 19 having gastric bands on the NHS doubled between 2007 and 2013, when more than 200 children had the surgery. The average cost of the operation is more than £7,000. Official statistics from the National Bariatric Surgery Register, which is compiled from surgeons’ reports, reveal that the 12-year-old boy is the youngest child to have been fitted with a gastric band within this group, although it is not recorded if the operation was publicly or privately funded. NHS statisticians said the youngest patient they had on record for bariatric surgery paid for by the Health Service was 13. However, many surgeons argue that the stomach bands could save the NHS money through reducing levels of obesity and associated illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, which are estimated to cost the Health Service £5 billion a year. Dr Lucy Stirling, a clinical psychologist at King’s College Hospital, said parents whose children are facing gastric band surgery can fail to take responsibility for their child’s weight issues. She said: ‘Parents can be in denial of the part they have played. ‘But children need to be brought up to eat in such a way that they’re nurturing their body rather than slowly damaging it.’ Paediatric consultant Ashish Desai added: ‘Some parents, when they come to us, have the idea that if their child has the surgery it will act like a magic wand.’ |
The amulet of the damned is an amulet that provides extra buffs to Barrows equipment. It can be obtained from silver shade chests found in the Shade Catacombs. The amulet has the same bonuses as an amulet of glory. Like Barrows equipment, it can only be traded when it hasn't been used. It will degrade at the same rate as any other barrows armour, but once it fully degrades, it will turn to dust. It becomes untradeable once it degrades. Players with multiple amulets can combine charges. Despite being untradeable (once degraded) it isn't kept automatically on death in a "safe" location. Should you die with the amulet, the amulet will turn to dust, making it impossible to recover. It is also involved in a combat related clue where it may degrade. Buffs The following buffs are granted if a player wears a full Barrows armour set in conjunction with the amulet of the damned. These buffs can trigger at the same time as the armour's set effects. Ahrim the Blighted's equipment Ancient Magicks. In addition players will have a 25% chance of dealing a hit with 30% increased damage. Trivia |
As a frequent Justice Leaguer, J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter, is well known to fans of comics and animation. But until his ongoing series was announced last spring, it had been many years since he had anchored his own comic. Now on its fourth issue, Martian Manhunter has been a surreal sci-fi blast, featuring a high-stakes storyline by Rob Williams that finds J’onn straddling the line between hero and villain and powerful, often frightening art by Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira and Gabe Eltaeb. We recently sat down with Williams to find out how he arrived at his unique take on the character and to see if we can uncover the story behind one of the more unique characters we’ve seen in the DCU in quite some time—the whimsical Mr. Biscuits. Martian Manhunter is your first DC ongoing. Is J’onn J’onzz a character that you’ve always been interested in? I’ve always had a soft spot for him. One of my favorite comics is Justice League International, and J’onn J’onzz was such a major part of that. I loved the way that Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis wrote him. I think a lot of people have a soft spot for him. He hasn’t had an ongoing book for many years. So that soft spot maybe hasn’t translated to him being more prominent within the DC Universe, but I think it’s there. When I was offered the book, I definitely felt inspired and that he was a character that I could have some fun with. I think it’s the alien nature of him as well. One thing that I was very keen to show was that he’s not just a green version of Superman. He’s a different kind of alien. I wanted to show that in his thinking and in the disparate nature of the book, with the different voices and characters we put in the book and how outlandish they can be. Characters like Mr. Biscuits—he’s definitely not the norm! I like that type of stuff. I think it brings an energy to the book, and it hopefully makes it seem different from many of the other books that DC is putting out. J’onn has had so many different powers throughout his comic book history, and if you maintain that power set, he’s an extremely powerful character. Arguably even more so that Superman. How do you decide which abilities you’re going to focus on and then actually come up with challenges for Martian Manhunter when he has just capabilities? Well, I think—and this is true for any character you write—that it’s not enough to put their bodies on the line, you also have to put their souls on the line as well. I think for J’onn, one of the things I’ve wanted to do, and the reason the Justice League was in issue #2, is to show how much of a heavy hitter he is. One thing I liked about how we resolved that is that he could have beaten the hell out of them if he wanted to, but he’s a hugely powerful telepath as well. So all makes them think they’re having this battle with him, when all they’re really doing is standing around. I think that’s part of the threat of the book. There’s an awareness that if he turned bad, he could take out half of the DC Universe probably on his own. He’s that big of a force. So because he is so powerful, in the book we’ve made him a weapon that the Martians have created and sent to Earth to do their work for them. But he’s hugely conflicted. He wants to bring Mars back. It’s his planet. But he’s also grown very fond of Earth. He doesn’t want to be a monster. That’s the battle within him. And because he’s such a threat, it creates some big stakes for the book. So where did the idea of Mr. Biscuits come from? I was at the writer’s conference that DC hosted last February and one of the nice things that came out of that was an encouragement to just “go for it.” They told us to go with our imaginations. So afterwards I was sitting at the airport, and I think Mr. Biscuits just sort of popped in. I could see him and what he’d look like immediately. He was this really tall figure wearing this sort of weird jazz suit from the 1920s. I’ve been watching an awful lot of Studio Ghibli movies with my kids and it almost feels like he belongs in a Miyazaki movie. I wanted a sense of an imaginary childhood friend come to life. I think that J’onn’s sweet nature is in Mr. Biscuits. When the other aspects of J’onn might be showing you some of his more unpleasant sides, you see this sweetness in him with Mr. Biscuits. I’ll be honest, when I pitched it, I thought I might never work again! You don’t know with that sort of stuff. You feel it’s so askew and outside of the norm. But then that’s often the stuff that pops off the page the most. Immediately, when I started writing his dialog, I knew he was working. People do seem to have really connected with the character. Where does the story go from here? What’s ahead? At the end of the first arc, there’s going to be a big game changer. As we know, J’onn J’onzz was sent to Earth as a weapon by the Martians, but he’s gone on the run. He split himself into different personalities, so the Martians can’t use him as a weapon. J’onn’s effectively the MacGuffin in the series. He’s the goal that the Martians are trying to obtain. So what you’re going to see is these different aspects of him—these different characters being introduced and sort of going on the run together. There’s a lot of fun in that. We’re bringing Mr. Biscuits and the other characters together in one place. It becomes like a very dysfunctional family very quickly, which leads to some really funny moments. We have Mr. Biscuits going through security in a major U. S. airport. It’s a lot of fun. But then we’ve got a big culmination at the end of the first arc in issue #6. It’s going to put J’onn in a position where he really has to make a decision—Earth or Mars? That’s the choice, and it’s a horrible position for him to be in. He’s given the chance to bring a race, his race, back to life, but the cost of that would be appalling. You feel bad for what you do to these characters sometimes. You put them in the most horrible situations, but that’s where the drama comes from. MARTIAN MANHUNTER #4 by Rob Williams, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira and Gabe Eltaeb is now available in print and as a digital download. |
Specialised agency of the United Nations The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO;[1] French: Organisation des Nations unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) based in Paris. Its declared purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms in order to increase universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and human rights along with fundamental freedom proclaimed in the United Nations Charter.[2] It is the successor of the League of Nations' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation. UNESCO has 193 member states and 11 associate members.[3] Most of its field offices are "cluster" offices covering three or more countries; national and regional offices also exist. UNESCO pursues its objectives through five major programs: education, natural sciences, social/human sciences, culture and communication/information. Projects sponsored by UNESCO include literacy, technical, and teacher-training programs, international science programs, the promotion of independent media and freedom of the press, regional and cultural history projects, the promotion of cultural diversity, translations of world literature, international cooperation agreements to secure the world's cultural and natural heritage (World Heritage Sites) and to preserve human rights, and attempts to bridge the worldwide digital divide. It is also a member of the United Nations Development Group.[4] UNESCO's aim is "to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information".[5] Other priorities of the organization include attaining quality Education For All and lifelong learning, addressing emerging social and ethical challenges, fostering cultural diversity, a culture of peace and building inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication.[6] The broad goals and objectives of the international community—as set out in the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)—underpin all UNESCO strategies and activities. History [ edit ] UNESCO and its mandate for international cooperation can be traced back to a League of Nations resolution on 21 September 1921, to elect a Commission to study feasibility.[7][8] On 18 December 1925, the International Bureau of Education (IBE) began work as a non-governmental organization in the service of international educational development. However, the onset of World War II largely interrupted the work of these predecessor organizations. After the signing of the Atlantic Charter and the Declaration of the United Nations, the Conference of Allied Ministers of Education (CAME) began meetings in London which continued from 16 November 1942 to 5 December 1945. On 30 October 1943, the necessity for an international organization was expressed in the Moscow Declaration, agreed upon by China, the United Kingdom, the United States and the USSR. This was followed by the Dumbarton Oaks Conference proposals of 9 October 1944. Upon the proposal of CAME and in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on International Organization (UNCIO), held in San Francisco in April–June 1945, a United Nations Conference for the establishment of an educational and cultural organization (ECO/CONF) was convened in London 1–16 November 1945 with 44 governments represented. The idea of UNESCO was largely developed by Rab Butler, the Minister of Education for the United Kingdom, who had a great deal of influence in its development.[10] At the ECO/CONF, the Constitution of UNESCO was introduced and signed by 37 countries, and a Preparatory Commission was established.[11] The Preparatory Commission operated between 16 November 1945, and 4 November 1946—the date when UNESCO's Constitution came into force with the deposit of the twentieth ratification by a member state. The first General Conference took place from 19 November to 10 December 1946, and elected Dr. Julian Huxley to Director-General.[13] The Constitution was amended in November 1954 when the General Conference resolved that members of the Executive Board would be representatives of the governments of the States of which they are nationals and would not, as before, act in their personal capacity.[14] This change in governance distinguished UNESCO from its predecessor, the CICI, in how member states would work together in the organization's fields of competence. As member states worked together over time to realize UNESCO's mandate, political and historical factors have shaped the organization's operations in particular during the Cold War, the decolonization process, and the dissolution of the USSR. Among the major achievements of the organization is its work against racism, for example through influential statements on race starting with a declaration of anthropologists (among them was Claude Lévi-Strauss) and other scientists in 1950[15] and concluding with the 1978 Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice.[16] In 1956, the Republic of South Africa withdrew from UNESCO saying that some of the organization's publications amounted to "interference" in the country's "racial problems."[17] South Africa rejoined the organization in 1994 under the leadership of Nelson Mandela. UNESCO's early work in the field of education included the pilot project on fundamental education in the Marbial Valley, Haiti, started in 1947.[18] This project was followed by expert missions to other countries, including, for example, a mission to Afghanistan in 1949.[19] In 1948, UNESCO recommended that Member States should make free primary education compulsory and universal.[20] In 1990, the World Conference on Education for All, in Jomtien, Thailand, launched a global movement to provide basic education for all children, youths and adults.[21] Ten years later, the 2000 World Education Forum held in Dakar, Senegal, led member governments to commit to achieving basic education for all by 2015.[22] UNESCO's early activities in culture included, for example, the Nubia Campaign, launched in 1960.[23] The purpose of the campaign was to move the Great Temple of Abu Simbel to keep it from being swamped by the Nile after construction of the Aswan Dam. During the 20-year campaign, 22 monuments and architectural complexes were relocated. This was the first and largest in a series of campaigns including Mohenjo-daro (Pakistan), Fes (Morocco), Kathmandu (Nepal), Borobudur (Indonesia) and the Acropolis (Greece). The organization's work on heritage led to the adoption, in 1972, of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.[24] The World Heritage Committee was established in 1976 and the first sites inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978.[25] Since then important legal instruments on cultural heritage and diversity have been adopted by UNESCO member states in 2003 (Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage[26]) and 2005 (Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions[27]). An intergovernmental meeting of UNESCO in Paris in December 1951 led to the creation of the European Council for Nuclear Research, which was responsible for establishing the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)[28] in 1954. Arid Zone programming, 1948–1966, is another example of an early major UNESCO project in the field of natural sciences.[29] In 1968, UNESCO organized the first intergovernmental conference aimed at reconciling the environment and development, a problem which continues to be addressed in the field of sustainable development. The main outcome of the 1968 conference was the creation of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme.[30] In the field of communication, the "free flow of ideas by word and image" has been in UNESCO's constitution from its beginnings, following the experience of the Second World War when control of information was a factor in indoctrinating populations for aggression.[31] In the years immediately following World War II, efforts were concentrated on reconstruction and on the identification of needs for means of mass communication around the world. UNESCO started organizing training and education for journalists in the 1950s.[32] In response to calls for a "New World Information and Communication Order" in the late 1970s, UNESCO established the International Commission for the Study of Communication Problems,[33] which produced the 1980 MacBride report (named after the Chair of the Commission, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Seán MacBride).[34] The same year, UNESCO created the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), a multilateral forum designed to promote media development in developing countries.[35][36] In 1991, UNESCO's General Conference endorsed the Windhoek Declaration on media independence and pluralism, which led the UN General Assembly to declare the date of its adoption, 3 May, as World Press Freedom Day.[37] Since 1997, UNESCO has awarded the UNESCO / Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize every 3 May. In the lead up to the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003 (Geneva) and 2005 (Tunis), UNESCO introduced the Information for All Programme. UNESCO admitted Palestine as a member in 2011.[38][39] Laws passed in the United States in 1990 and 1994 mean that it cannot contribute financially to any UN organisation that accepts Palestine as a full member.[40] As a result, it withdrew its funding which accounted for about 22% of UNESCO's budget.[41] Israel also reacted to Palestine's admittance to UNESCO by freezing Israel payments to the UNESCO and imposing sanctions to the Palestinian Authority,[42] stating that Palestine's admittance would be detrimental "to potential peace talks".[43] Two years after they stopped paying their dues to UNESCO, US and Israel lost UNESCO voting rights in 2013 without losing the right to be elected; thus, the US was elected as a member of the Executive Board for the period 2016–19.[44] Activities [ edit ] UNESCO implements its activities through the five programme areas: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information. Education: UNESCO supports research in comparative education; and provide expertise and fosters partnerships to strengthen national educational leadership and the capacity of countries to offer quality education for all. This includes the UNESCO Chairs, an international network of 644 UNESCO Chairs, involving over 770 institutions in 126 countries. Environmental Conservation Organisation Convention against Discrimination in Education adopted in 1960 Organization of the International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA) in an interval of 12 years Publication of the Education for All Global Monitoring Report Publication of the Four Pillars of Learning seminal document UNESCO ASPNet, an international network of 8,000 schools in 170 countries. UNESCO does not accredit institutions of higher learning.[45] The UNESCO transparency portal has been designed to enable public access to information regarding Organization's activities, such as its aggregate budget for a biennium, as well as links to relevant programmatic and financial documents. These two distinct sets of information are published on the IATI registry, respectively based on the IATI Activity Standard and the IATI Organization Standard. There have been proposals to establish two new UNESCO lists. The first proposed list will focus on movable cultural heritage such as artifacts, paintings, and biofacts. The list may include cultural objects, such as the Jōmon Venus of Japan, the Mona Lisa of France, the Gebel el-Arak Knife of Egypt, The Ninth Wave of Russia, the Seated Woman of Çatalhöyük of Turkey, the David (Michelangelo) of Italy, the Mathura Herakles of India, the Manunggul Jar of the Philippines, the Crown of Baekje of South Korea, The Hay Wain of the United Kingdom and the Benin Bronzes of Nigeria. The second proposed list will focus on the world's living species, such as the Komodo Dragon of Indonesia, the Panda of China, the Bald eagle of North American countries, the Aye-aye of Madagascar, the Asiatic Lion of India, the Kakapo of New Zealand, and the Mountain tapir of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.[62][63] Media [ edit ] UNESCO and its specialized institutions issue a number of magazines. The UNESCO Courier magazine states its mission to "promote UNESCO's ideals, maintain a platform for the dialogue between cultures and provide a forum for international debate." Since March 2006 it is available online, with limited printed issues. Its articles express the opinions of the authors which are not necessarily the opinions of UNESCO. There was a hiatus in publishing between 2012 and 2017.[64] In 1950, UNESCO initiated the quarterly review Impact of Science on Society (also known as Impact) to discuss the influence of science on society. The journal ceased publication in 1992.[65] UNESCO also published museum international quarterly from the year 1948. Official UNESCO NGOs [ edit ] UNESCO has official relations with 322 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).[66] Most of these are what UNESCO calls "operational"; a select few are "formal".[67] The highest form of affiliation to UNESCO is "formal associate", and the 22 NGOs[68] with formal associate (ASC) relations occupying offices at UNESCO are: Institutes and centres [ edit ] The institutes are specialized departments of the organization that support UNESCO's programme, providing specialized support for cluster and national offices. Prizes [ edit ] UNESCO awards 22 prizes[79] in education, science, culture and peace: Inactive prizes [ edit ] International Simón Bolívar Prize (inactive since 2004) UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education UNESCO/Obiang Nguema Mbasogo International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences (inactive since 2010) UNESCO Prize for the Promotion of the Arts International Days observed at UNESCO [ edit ] International Days observed at UNESCO is provided in the table given below[80] Member states [ edit ] As of January 2019, UNESCO has 195 member states and 11 associate members.[82] Some members are not independent states and some members have additional National Organizing Committees from some of their dependent territories.[83] UNESCO state parties are the United Nations member states (except Liechtenstein, United States[84] and Israel[85]), as well as Cook Islands, Niue and Palestine.[86][87] The United States and Israel left UNESCO on 31 December 2018.[88] Governing bodies [ edit ] There has been no elected UNESCO Director-General from Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central and North Asia, Middle East, North Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, South Africa, Australia-Oceania, and South America since inception. The Directors-General of UNESCO came from West Europe (5), Central America (1), North America (2), West Africa (1), East Asia (1), and East Europe (1). Out of the 11 Directors-General since inception, women have held the position only twice. Qatar, the Philippines, and Iran are proposing for a Director-General bid by 2021 or 2025. There have never been a Middle Eastern or Southeast Asian UNESCO Director-General since inception. The ASEAN bloc and some Pacific and Latin American nations support the possible bid of the Philippines, which is culturally Asian, Oceanic, and Latin. Qatar and Iran, on the other hand, have fragmented support in the Middle East. Egypt, Israel, and Madagascar are also vying for the position but have yet to express a direct or indirect proposal. Both Qatar and Egypt lost in the 2017 bid against France. The list of the Directors-General of UNESCO since its establishment in 1946 is as follows:[89] General Conference [ edit ] This is the list of the sessions of the UNESCO General Conference held since 1946:[90] Executive Board [ edit ] Offices and Headquarters [ edit ] The Garden of Peace, UNESCO headquarters, Paris. Donated by the Government of Japan, this garden was designed by American-Japanese sculptor artist Isamu Noguchi in 1958 and installed by Japanese gardener Toemon Sano. UNESCO headquarters are located at Place de Fontenoy in Paris, France. UNESCO's field offices across the globe are categorized into four primary office types based upon their function and geographic coverage: cluster offices, national offices, regional bureaus and liaison offices. Field offices by region [ edit ] The following list of all UNESCO Field Offices is organized geographically by UNESCO Region and identifies the members states and associate members of UNESCO which are served by each office.[96] Africa [ edit ] Arab States [ edit ] Asia and Pacific [ edit ] Europe and North America [ edit ] Latin America and the Caribbean [ edit ] Controversies [ edit ] New World Information and Communication order [ edit ] UNESCO has been the centre of controversy in the past, particularly in its relationships with the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the former Soviet Union. During the 1970s and 1980s, UNESCO's support for a "New World Information and Communication Order" and its MacBride report calling for democratization of the media and more egalitarian access to information was condemned in these countries as attempts to curb freedom of the press. UNESCO was perceived as a platform for communists and Third World dictators to attack the West, in contrast to accusations made by the USSR in the late 1940s and early 1950s.[100] In 1984, the United States withheld its contributions and withdrew from the organization in protest, followed by the United Kingdom in 1985.[101] Singapore withdrew also at the end of 1985, citing rising membership fees.[102] Following a change of government in 1997, the UK rejoined. The United States rejoined in 2003, followed by Singapore on 8 October 2007.[103] Israel [ edit ] Israel was admitted to UNESCO in 1949, one year after its creation. Israel has maintained its membership since 1949. In 2010, Israel designated the Cave of the Patriarchs, Hebron and Rachel's Tomb, Bethlehem as National Heritage Sites and announced restoration work, prompting criticism from the Obama administration and protests from Palestinians.[104] In October 2010, UNESCO's Executive Board voted to declare the sites as "al-Haram al-Ibrahimi/Tomb of the Patriarchs" and "Bilal bin Rabah Mosque/Rachel's Tomb" and stated that they were "an integral part of the occupied Palestinian Territories" and any unilateral Israeli action was a violation of international law.[105] UNESCO described the sites as significant to "people of the Muslim, Christian and Jewish traditions", and accused Israel of highlighting only the Jewish character of the sites.[106] Israel in turn accused UNESCO of "detach[ing] the Nation of Israel from its heritage", and accused it of being politically motivated.[107] The Rabbi of the Western Wall said that Rachel's tomb had not previously been declared a holy Muslim site.[108] Israel partially suspended ties with UNESCO. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon declared that the resolution was a "part of Palestinian escalation". Zevulun Orlev, chairman of the Knesset Education and Culture Committee, referred to the resolutions as an attempt to undermine the mission of UNESCO as a scientific and cultural organization that promotes cooperation throughout the world.[109][110] On 28 June 2011, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, at Jordan's insistence, censured[clarification needed] Israel's decision to demolish and rebuild the Mughrabi Gate Bridge in Jerusalem for safety reasons. Israel stated that Jordan had signed an agreement with Israel stipulating that the existing bridge must be dismantled for safety reasons; Jordan disputed the agreement, saying that it was only signed under U.S. pressure. Israel was also unable to address the UNESCO committee over objections from Egypt.[111] In January 2014, days before it was scheduled to open, UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, "indefinitely postponed" and effectively cancelled an exhibit created by the Simon Wiesenthal Center entitled "The People, The Book, The Land: The 3,500-year relationship between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel." The event was scheduled to run from 21 January through 30 January in Paris. Bokova cancelled the event after representatives of Arab states at UNESCO argued that its display would "harm the peace process".[112] The author of the exhibition, Professor Robert Wistrich of the Hebrew University's Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Anti-Semitism, called the cancellation an "appalling act," and characterized Bokova's decision as "an arbitrary act of total cynicism and, really, contempt for the Jewish people and its history." UNESCO amended the decision to cancel the exhibit within the year, and it quickly achieved popularity and was viewed as a great success.[113] On January 1 2019, Israel formally left UNESCO in pursuance of the US withdrawal over the perceived continuous anti-Israel bias. Occupied Palestine Resolution [ edit ] On 13 October 2016, UNESCO passed a resolution on East Jerusalem that condemned Israel for "aggressions" by Israeli police and soldiers and "illegal measures" against the freedom of worship and Muslims' access to their holy sites, while also recognizing Israel as the occupying power. Palestinian leaders welcomed the decision.[114] While the text acknowledged the "importance of the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls for the three monotheistic religions", it referred to the sacred hilltop compound in Jerusalem's Old City only by its Muslim name "Al-Haram al-Sharif", Arabic for Noble Sanctuary. In response, Israel denounced the UNESCO resolution for its omission of the words "Temple Mount" or "Har HaBayit," stating that it denies Jewish ties to the key holy site.[114][115] After receiving criticism from numerous Israeli politicians and diplomats, including Benjamin Netanyahu and Ayelet Shaked, Israel froze all ties with the organization.[116][117] The resolution was condemned by Ban ki-Moon and the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, who said that Judaism, Islam and Christianity have clear historical connections to Jerusalem and "to deny, conceal or erase any of the Jewish, Christian or Muslim traditions undermines the integrity of the site.[118][119] Al-Aqsa Mosque is also Temple Mount, whose Western Wall is the holiest place in Judaism."[120] It was also rejected by the Czech Parliament which said the resolution reflects a "hateful anti-Israel sentiment",[121] and hundreds of Italian Jews demonstrated in Rome over Italy's abstention.[121] On 26 October, UNESCO approved a reviewed version of the resolution, which also criticized Israel for its continuous "refusal to let the body's experts access Jerusalem's holy sites to determine their conservation status."[122] Despite containing some softening of language following Israeli protests over a previous version, Israel continued to denounce the text.[123] The resolution refers to the site Jews and Christians refer to as the Temple Mount, or Har HaBayit in Hebrew, only by its Arab name — a significant semantic decision also adopted by UNESCO's executive board, triggering condemnation from Israel and its allies. U.S. Ambassador Crystal Nix Hines stated: "This item should have been defeated. These politicized and one-sided resolutions are damaging the credibility of UNESCO."[124] In October 2017, the United States and Israel announced they would withdraw from the organization, citing in-part anti-Israel bias.[125][126] Palestine [ edit ] Palestinian youth magazine controversy [ edit ] In February 2011, an article was published in a Palestinian youth magazine in which a teenage girl described one of her four role-models as Adolf Hitler. In December 2011, UNESCO, which partly funded the magazine, condemned the material and subsequently withdrew support.[127] Islamic University of Gaza controversy [ edit ] In 2012, UNESCO decided to establish a chair at the Islamic University of Gaza in the field of astronomy, astrophysics, and space sciences,[128] fueling controversy and criticism. Israel bombed the school in 2008 stating that they develop and store weapons there, which Israel restated in criticizing UNESCO's move.[129][130] The head, Kamalain Shaath, defended UNESCO, stating that "the Islamic University is a purely academic university that is interested only in education and its development".[131][132][133] Israeli ambassador to UNESCO Nimrod Barkan planned to submit a letter of protest with information about the university's ties to Hamas, especially angry that this was the first Palestinian university that UNESCO chose to cooperate with.[134] The Jewish organization B'nai B'rith criticized the move as well.[135] Wikileaks [ edit ] On 16 and 17 February 2012, UNESCO held a conference entitled "The Media World after WikiLeaks and News of the World."[136] Despite all six panels being focused on WikiLeaks, no member of WikiLeaks staff was invited to speak. After receiving a complaint from WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson, UNESCO invited him to attend, but did not offer a place on any panels.[137] The offer also came only a week before the conference, which was held in Paris, France. Many of the speakers featured, including David Leigh and Heather Brooke, had spoken out openly against WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange in the past.[138] WikiLeaks released a press statement on 15 February 2012 denouncing UNESCO which stated, "UNESCO has made itself an international human rights joke. To use 'freedom of expression' to censor WikiLeaks from a conference about WikiLeaks is an Orwellian absurdity beyond words."[139] Che Guevara [ edit ] In 2013, UNESCO announced that the collection "The Life and Works of Ernesto Che Guevara" became part of the Memory of the World Register. US Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen condemned this decision, saying that the organization acts against its own ideals:[140] This decision is more than an insult to the families of those Cubans who were lined up and summarily executed by Che and his merciless cronies but it also serves as a direct contradiction to the UNESCO ideals of encouraging peace and universal respect for human rights. UN Watch also condemned this selection by UNESCO.[141] Listing Nanjing Massacre documents [ edit ] In 2015, Japan threatened to halt funding for UNESCO over the organization's decision to include documents relating to the 1937 Nanjing massacre in the latest listing for its "Memory of the World" program.[142] In October 2016, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida confirmed that Japan's 2016 annual funding of ¥4.4 billion had been suspended although denied any direct link with the Nanjing document controversy.[143] US withdrawals [ edit ] After withdrawing from UNESCO in 1984, the United States rejoined January 10, 2003.[144] Former U.S. Congressman Jim Leach stated before a Congressional subcommittee:[145] The reasons for the withdrawal of the United States from UNESCO in 1984 are well-known; my view is that we overreacted to the calls of some who wanted to radicalize UNESCO, and the calls of others who wanted the United States to lead in emasculating the UN system. The fact is UNESCO is one of the least dangerous international institutions ever created. While some member countries within UNESCO attempted to push journalistic views antithetical to the values of the west, and engage in Israel bashing, UNESCO itself never adopted such radical postures. The U.S. opted for empty-chair diplomacy, after winning, not losing, the battles we engaged in… It was nuts to get out, and would be nuttier not to rejoin. He concluded that the record showed Israel bashing, a call for a new world information order, money management, and arms control policy to be the impetus behind the withdrawal; he asserted that before the UNESCO withdrawal, a withdrawal from the IAEA[146] had been pushed on him. The United States rejoined UNESCO shortly thereafter. On 12 October 2017, the United States notified UNESCO that it will again withdraw from the organization on 31 December 2018 and will seek to establish a permanent observer mission beginning in 2019. The Department of State cited "mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO."[147] The United States has not paid over $600 million in dues[148] since stopping to pay its $80 million annual UNESCO dues when Palestine became a full member in 2011. Israel and the US were among only 14 votes against the membership, of 194 member countries.[149] Turkish–Kurdish conflict [ edit ] On May 25, 2016, the noted Turkish poet and human rights activist Zülfü Livaneli resigned as Turkey's only UNESCO goodwill ambassador. He highlighted human rights situation in Turkey and destruction of historical Sur district of Diyarbakir, the largest city in Kurdish-majority southeast Turkey, during fighting between the Turkish army and Kurdish militants as the main reasons for his resignation. Livaneli said: "To pontificate on peace while remaining silent against such violations is a contradiction of the fundamental ideals of UNESCO."[150] Atatürk [ edit ] In 1981, UNESCO and the UN have celebrated Atatürk Centennial, ignoring the fact that he has direct relation to the mass murders of civilians (women and children - including), genocide and racial discrimination against different peoples. Products or services [ edit ] UNESDOC[151] – Contains over 146,000 UNESCO documents in full text published since 1945 as well as metadata from the collections of the UNESCO Library and documentation centres in field offices and institutes. UNESCO develops, maintains and disseminates, free of charge, two interrelated software packages for database management (CDS/ISIS [not to be confused with UK police software package ISIS]) and data mining/statistical analysis (IDAMS).[152] CDS/ISIS – a generalised information storage and retrieval system. The Windows version may run on a single computer or in a local area network. The JavaISIS client/server components allow remote database management over the Internet and are available for Windows, Linux and Macintosh. Furthermore, GenISIS allows the user to produce HTML Web forms for CDS/ISIS database searching. The ISIS_DLL provides an API for developing CDS/ISIS based applications. OpenIDAMS – a software package for processing and analysing numerical data developed, maintained and disseminated by UNESCO. The original package was proprietary but UNESCO has initiated a project to provide it as open-source. [153] IDIS – a tool for direct data exchange between CDS/ISIS and IDAMS See also [ edit ] |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Some Israeli archaeologists are having a particularly happy Hanukkah, thanks in part to a British volunteer who took time off from her job to work on a dig. Archaeologists found a hoard of gold coins from the 7th century in Jerusalem on Sunday. The Israel Antiquities Authority reported a thrilling find Sunday -- the discovery of 264 ancient gold coins in Jerusalem National Park. The coins were minted during the early 7th century. "This is one of the largest and most impressive coin hoards ever discovered in Jerusalem -- certainly the largest and most important of its period," said Doron Ben-Ami and Yana Tchekhanovets, who are directing the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Researchers discovered the coins at the beginning of the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which started at sunset on Sunday. One of the customs of the holiday is to give "gelt," or coins, to children, and the archaeologists are referring to the find as "Hanukkah money." Nadine Ross, a British archaeological volunteer, happened onto the coins during the dig just below the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. "To be honest, I just thought, 'Thank God I didn't throw it in the rubbish bucket,' " said Ross, who had taken four weeks off from her engineering job in England to work at the site. "I was just glad I sort of spotted it before I disturbed it too much." The 1,400-year-old coins were found in the Giv'ati car park in the City of David in the walls around Jerusalem National Park, a site that has yielded other finds, including a well-preserved gold earring with pearls and precious stones. They were in a collapsed building that dates back to the 7th century, the end of the Byzantine period. The coins bear a likeness of Heraclius, who was the Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641. The authority said that while different coins had been minted during this emperor's reign, the coins found at the site represent "one well-known type." In that style, the emperor is clad with military garb and is holding a cross in his right hand. On the other side is the sign of the cross. Authorities said the excavation of the building where the hoard was discovered is in its early stages. They are attempting to learn about the building and its owner and the circumstances of its destruction. "Since no pottery vessel was discovered adjacent to the hoard, we can assume that it was concealed inside a hidden niche in one of the walls of the building. It seems that with its collapse, the coins piled up there among the building debris," Ben-Ami and Tchekhanovets said. The find is a a golden moment for Ross, who said "it is a pity that I can't take it home with me. But there you go." CNN's Shira Medding and Ben Wedeman contributed to this report. All About Jerusalem • Archaeology |
WARRINGTON, England -- The 96 Liverpool soccer fans who died in the Hillsborough Stadium disaster were "unlawfully killed" because of errors by the police, a jury concluded Tuesday. Relatives of the victims of the 1989 disaster, some wearing Liverpool scarves, were in tears outside a specially-built courtroom after new inquests into Britain's worst sporting disaster. Fans chanted "Justice for the 96" and sang the Premier League club's anthem, "You'll Never Walk Alone" after hearing the verdicts. Relatives sing "You'll never walk alone" after the jury delivered its verdict at the new inquests into the Hillsborough disaster, in Warrington, England, April 26, 2016. REUTERS Families spent more than a quarter of a century campaigning after being angered by the verdicts of accidental death at the original inquests following the April 1989 FA Cup semifinal match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the stadium in Sheffield. The original inquest verdicts were overturned in 2012 following a far-reaching inquiry into the disaster and new hearings held in Warrington, close to Liverpool in northwest England. British Prime Minister David Cameron, whose Conservative Party was leading the nation when the disaster unfolded under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, called the jury's ruling a "landmark" development. Landmark day as the #Hillsborough inquest provides long overdue justice for the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the disaster. — David Cameron (@David_Cameron) 26 April 2016 His tweet was quickly seized upon by Liverpool fans demanding he issue an apology on behalf of the Conservatives for what many believe was an intentional government cover-up of police culpability. The tragedy highlighted the regional tensions that roiled the country under Thatcher, whose privatization of British industry and closure of mines devastated towns and cities across the north. The jury, which had been considering 14 questions set out by the coroner, concluded the deaths constituted unlawful killing by a 7-2 majority, prompting sobbing and cheers at the hearing. The jury also found that police planning errors "caused or contributed" to the situation that led to the crush, while confirming that the behavior of fans did not cause or contribute to the tragedy. The verdicts are not the end of the fight for the victims' families. The Crown Prosecution Service said it will "formally consider whether any criminal charges should be brought against any individual or corporate body." |
I’m not a very good gardener, despite good intentions. That’s why I have a pile of bark mulch that I never got around to spreading. At first it stood as a testament to my indolence; a reminder of horticultural shame as I passed by every morning and evening. How I despised it! But then it started growing puffballs. Not just a couple of little puffballs either, but a massive, tumorous pile of them. A burgeoning puffball eruption! At night I could hear them muttering at each other (hey, heeyy, heeeyyy) as they shouldered themselves some room to grow. They really like my mulch. Although collectively huge, these aren’t giant puffballs, they’re just “ordinary” puffballs. They don’t need water to disperse their spores like normal mushrooms; their spores get puffed out by deer hooves, drops of rain, scampering chipmunks, and the stomping shoes of certain children I know. Puffballs are funny fungi that seek to offend. You might know them as members of the genus Lycoperdon (we’ll revisit this later). That name derives from the Greek words for wolf and fart. (Yes, I said fart on the internet. Sorry Mom). More about farts and the names of puffballs in many languages in the famous book, Mushrooms, Russia, and History, which you’ll want to read. I’ve never smelled a wolf fart, and I suspect one should generally avoid getting close to a farting wolf. One shouldn’t inhale the puffs of these puffballs either. To do so would be to risk lycoperdonosis (which I guess translates to wolf fart disease). There aren’t too many documented cases of this, it’s not like you can get it from a single stomp. But poofing some puffballs right into your nose will do it. A generous lungful of spores will result in breathing trouble, fever, and pulmonary damage. These symptoms can take months to clear, but as far as I can tell, they appear to arise from hypersensitivity and inflammation rather than fungal growth in the lungs. You will not be eaten by puffballs as if you were a big mulch pile. Lycoperdon might be one of the coolest fungus names ever (cast your vote here!). But alas, my mulch puffballs are no longer Lycoperdons. You see, mycology is in the midst of the biggest revolution since Elias Fries sorted and named everything (C.H. Persoon was a help too, particularly amongst the puffballs). We’re using genetic information to sort things out now. These puffballs turn out to be genetically distant cousins of the true Lycoperdon species (like L. perlatum). They’re morphologically different too, and they like to eat wood more than other Lycoperdons. Different enough that Kreisel and Krüger have moved our mulch puffballs into the genus Morganella, where they can hang out with closer kin. So now we must learn to call these wood-eating, often pear-shaped puffballs Morganella pyriformis. Now a word for you, you mulch people. You are better gardeners than me; I admire your lovely, tidy gardens, your muddy knees. You are thinking about writing to me, aren’t you? To ask how to kill the puffballs that are eating your mulch? So it’s back to basics then: What’s mulch for? A cover for your lovely rich soil that you have worked so hard to build. It cuts down on erosion, suppresses weeds, maintains moisture, and… and what? Provides nutrients for your pretty little plants as it breaks down to form humus. So don’t ask me how to get rid of puffballs. They are breaking down your mulch (a euphemism for eating it), but in the process they are feeding your plants and building your soil. The puffballs are your friends. If you really don’t want your mulch to break down, try plastic. But unsubscribe me from your fan club. To sum up: Coolest name ever, but this lignicolous species has been exiled from the wolf farts. Snorting them leads to lycoperdonosis, which I suppose is a misnomer if we’re Morganella now. Stomping is fun; hold your breath. Mulch people: love thy mushrooms. Puffballs, eat your mulch. |
Apparently Jane and Adam’s chemistry is just as good offscreen as it is on. Adam and Jane’s romance has already been super intense (and fun!) so faron Jane the Virgin and according to Gina Rodriguez, Tyler Posey has been a pleasure to work this IRL. During an impromptu Q&A via Twitter, she wrote, Tyler is love. He is professional. He is gangster on set. And a solid dope human being. I’m a huge fan of his. https://t.co/kC8JEE2IM5 — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 26, 2017 As for the rest of the Q&A, Gina dropped some knowledge on us, including that show loves It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (uh, don’t we all!) and that she misses her onscreen magic with Brett Dier (#TeamMichael all the way!). See some more of her answers below. Simple. Horse blinders. It’s all about that limited peripheral. ? https://t.co/2hoYlbiZKg — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 25, 2017 Maybe not one word but You aren’t alone. I see you. I hear you. I’m with you. https://t.co/a5UPCDjXOl — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 25, 2017 If you are thinking about the future you aren’t being present. Stop. Look around. Focus on what’s in front of you. Breath. https://t.co/MZG6rmM9ZP — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 25, 2017 Get a good education. Get yourself super skilled and learn as many techniques and methods of acting that you can. https://t.co/O1geccrFHd — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 25, 2017 Baby girl, start loving yourself now because it’s a daily grind. Be good to you because then you can be good to others. https://t.co/tb7WeEtQ84 — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 25, 2017 How connected we were on screen. It was magic. https://t.co/SKFi2tJyMY — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 25, 2017 It’s always sunny in Philadelphia. Schitts Creek. https://t.co/Spz9g7vqF0 — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 25, 2017 Best: doing what I love. Worst: people seeing someone other than who I am. https://t.co/mHsJTAJrIO — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 25, 2017 Because fame/success doesn’t make you invincible. Doesn’t make you better than any1. My poop still stinks and this journey is unpredictable! https://t.co/Dnxxkq58by — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 25, 2017 There were times I did. I mean fully believed I was capable and nothing could stop. And other times I wanted to run away from my dreams. https://t.co/sfJn2HS5Qw — Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) July 25, 2017 Jane the Virgin airs Friday nights right after Crazy Ex-Girlfriend! Two of our fave badass babes back-to-back? We’re down. |
Here is a quiz. Let’s say someone says, “Sit,” to a dog, intending the word as a cue. What part of speech is the word, “Sit”? Then, what part of speech is the same word if we say, “Good sit!” afterwards? That was a trick. If we were talking to a human who speaks the same language we do, the first “Sit” could be an imperative or command verb. The second “Sit” would be a noun. But neither of those, while grammatically correct, applies to training a dog. Dogs are not humans. “Sit” is something else entirely to them. In dog training based on positive reinforcement, “sit” is a discriminative stimulus. To the dog it is not a word. It is not English. It is not eligible for grammatical analysis. It is an antecedent, in this case a specific sound that comes to indicate that reinforcement is likely available for the act of sitting. (I include the word “likely” because sometimes we don’t reinforce every single sit.) Examples of other discriminative stimuli for dogs are hand signals we give them, auditory cues such as whistles, and all sorts of things in life that act as cues that certain behaviors will be reinforced. These life events are not necessarily deliberate actions by us, and may not even be known to us. I wrote about some in my post called, “16 Behavioral Cues That I Didn’t Train (But Are Still for Real).” So if “Sit” is a discriminative stimulus, what is “Good sit”? I’ll get there. First I need to talk about this problem with words and meanings. I Can’t Get It Out of My Head We humans have an enormous problem to overcome when we use words as cues. When we hear the sounds that comprise the word “Sit,” in whatever language we speak, we can’t divorce the meaning of the word “Sit.” We generally pick verbal cues that are descriptions of the behaviors they apply to. Convenient for us, but unfortunate for the dogs. We can’t help but think they understand the cues as language. Sometimes we pick more colorful words for cues for our amusement or because the standard word is inconvenient. My friend Marge’s cue for her dog Zip to sit is, “Senta,” the Portuguese word for sit. “Sit” was too close to his name, plus she didn’t want to spend his life sputtering out, “Zip, sit!” And although he’s a Portuguese Water Dog, she didn’t pick “Senta” because he innately understood it. He doesn’t. She picked it because it’s fun, clear, and didn’t resemble any of her other cues. I have a couple of fun cues. I use “Yoga” to cue Zani into the bow position (downward dog, get it?). I use “Rewind” to cue Summer to do a funny little backwards crawl/scoot. But hey, I’m a human, so I still hear these as words, with meanings. Not just a group of sounds. (And of course, the “funny” part has to do with their meanings…just can’t get away from that, can we?) The Curse of Knowledge This inability to get the meanings of words out of our heads on behalf of our dogs is an intra-species example of the “curse of knowledge.” This refers to a situation where someone who knows something (in this case the human) can’t imagine not knowing it. Here is a link to a good synopsis of a famous study, “tappers and listeners,” about the curse of knowledge. In the tappers and listeners study, one person in a team of two would tap out the rhythm of a well-known song. The other person had to guess the song. The listeners could guess correctly only about 2.5% of the time. But get this: the tappers predicted that the listeners would know the answer 50% of the time. The tappers heard the song in their heads as they tapped, and couldn’t put themselves accurately in the place of the listeners, who were only hearing tapping. Even the most empathetic of us can’t turn off the songs in our own heads. In dog training, we are the tappers and the dogs are the listeners. It’s worse though, because not only do they not know all these meanings and subtexts that are there for us, they are not capable of knowing most of them. Yet they read situations so well and are typically so attuned to us that they give the impression of knowing these things in the same way we know them. They have their own geniuses, but it is not likely that any dog understands language and grammar as we do. By the way, I am not the first to tell about the “tappers and listeners” study with regard to some characteristics of dog training. Kathy Sdao describes it and even demonstrates it in her DVD “What Not to Err.” My friend Marge incorporates it into her orientation for beginning clicker trainers. “Good Sit!” OK, I finally made my way back around to this phrase. You can easily find dozens of websites that instruct you to say, “Good sit!” after your dog sits. Probably some of you have been instructed to do that. I have. I was told the following by an obedience instructor: “You should say, “Good sit” after your dog sits so they will know what it is they did right.” This assumes that the dog can follow the leap from “Sit” as a noise meaning that sit will be reinforced, to “Sit” as a noun, modified by “Good.” This makes no sense. It only makes sense in our twisted world where verbal cues unfortunately have meanings that correspond to the actions we attach to them. Here is an example that I hope demonstrates the faulty logic of “Good sit.” The starter’s pistol going off is a discriminative stimulus for people who run track. It indicates that pushing off the starting block and starting to run will likely be reinforced. So please envision this. A runner is practicing her starts. Today the coach is using a real starter’s pistol so she’ll get used to it. The coach fires the pistol, and the runner makes an excellent start. She runs a few yards, stops, and turns back. The coach says, “Good…” and BANG! fires the pistol in the air again. The runner startles and says, “Why did you fire again? I’m not ready! I’m not even in the block.” The coach says, “I was telling you that you made a good…” BANG! and fires the pistol one more time. With this example, we can clearly see that that the cue is not the same as the action. The coach means to tell the runner that she made a good start. **BANG** is not a description of the action of start. It’s just the cue that indicates a certain action will be reinforced. Likewise, “Sit” is the noise that indicates to a dog that sitting will be reinforced. It does not somehow “mean” that action to the dog. Frankly, I can keep this in my head only for short periods. It slides away so easily. It’s Not Harmless Some might say, OK, it doesn’t mean what we think it does, but it doesn’t hurt anything to say it anyway. Well yes, there are worse things. But using, “Sit” as part of a praise phrase is not a desirable practice. First, you are repeating the cue when the dog is already doing the behavior. This dilutes the one-to-one pairing of the cue and the action, diminishing the power of the cue. It also adds more chatter to the training session, creating more verbiage for the dog to sift through to try to catch words that might be cues. Or to learn to ignore them. Finally, I believe we need to do everything possible to understand the dog’s point of view. Choose cues thoughtfully. Make sure they all sound different. Use them consistently, and only for that purpose. What if, instead of words in English (or your own native language), you had to use a randomly assigned color flash card or a complete nonsense phrase for every cue? Wouldn’t they be kind of hard to remember? That’s the position our dogs are in. They have to use brute memory on cues. That last reason is the big one. Saying, “Good sit!” every once in a while or even regularly does little harm to the dog in the grand scheme of things. I’m sure I do half a dozen things to my dogs that are more confusing than that. The harm is to us as trainers. It keeps us entrenched in the belief that dogs understand language the same way we do. If you are going to praise, far better to say, “Good!” or “Good girl!” or “Good dog!” And to say the same thing consistently. If you say it regularly before you give the treat, you are also building up a nice little conditioned reinforcer. But that’s a post for another day! Related Posts Eileenanddogs on YouTube © Eileen Anderson 2015 eileenanddogs.com License for starting line photo. Link to original starting line photo. Like this: Like Loading... |
Scan the sidelines at any sporting event and you'll start to notice patterns. Athletes warming themselves up mentally and physically, coaches trying to get the most out of their players, or perhaps cheerleaders trying to engage the crowd. You also might notice the sidelines dotted with photographers that have big camera rigs around their necks and long, white lenses dangling from their hips. Invariably, those photographers are using Canon's top-of-the-line 1D camera with long and fast Canon lenses to do their jobs. They are using those cameras because they can rapidly autofocus and bang out many high-quality images per second — a necessity when photographing professional sports. Leica, a company better known for its compact and travel-friendly (and expensive) rangefinders, has never really competed in this level of professional photography. But its new camera, announced today, is designed specifically to cater to this very demanding crowd. The Leica SL is a full-frame mirrorless camera that can shoot 11 frames per second at its full 24-megapixel resolution. Leica also says it has the "world's fastest autofocus" of any camera, mirrorless or otherwise. If you're going to get those pro photographers to ditch their Canons, that's one way to get their attention. Though consumer-level mirrorless cameras are often associated with compact size and lightweight bodies, the SL is anything but. It's huge and heavy, weighing nearly two pounds before you even put a lens on it. This is not a camera that you can easily toss into a shoulder bag, but its size and heft remind you that this is a tool designed for pros. The SL is milled from aluminum and feels appropriately solid throughout. Leica also claims that it is dust and weather proofed — another necessity for pros in the field. The full-frame sensor inside the SL is pulled right from the Leica Q, and it's paired with Leica's Maestro II processor. The SL is capable of shooting 4K video at 30 or 24 frames per second, and still images can be captured at up to ISO 50,000. Video can also be captured at 120 frames per second in 1080p resolution. Speed and performance are name of the game with the SL Leica says it developed an entirely new electronic viewfinder for the SL that has a resolution of 4.4 million pixels and comparable magnification to a medium format camera. It's a larger and higher-resolution viewfinder than found on any other mirrorless camera, and in the brief time I had to demo the camera, I was consistently impressed with it. To get pros on board with your new camera, you're going to need a variety of lenses, and that might be the biggest weak spot for the SL. At launch, Leica is offering a 24-90 f/2.8-4 zoom lens, complete with optical image stabilization. It will be followed up with a 90-280 f/2.8-4 telephoto zoom, also with image stabilization, and then a 50mm f/1.4 prime lens. Leica will also offer adapters for T-, S-, M-, and R-system lenses, allowing photographers to use virtually any Leica lens ever produced on the SL body. But it still feels like the lens options will be a big roadblock for a number of photographers. |
Manchester City's second leg at Monaco will mark a milestone for their manager, with Josep Guardiola celebrating his 100th match in charge in UEFA club competition – and the Spaniard is set to become the most successful coach at this stage of his career. Guardiola is in charge of his third club, having spent four seasons with Barcelona and three at Bayern München before joining City in the summer. He has already racked up 61 wins and 23 draws in his first 99 games, which do not include the quarter-final decider against Bayern in 2008/09, when Tito Vilanova took over while his boss served a one-match touchline ban. Regardless of the result in Monaco on Wednesday, Guardiola will go to the top of the list, ahead of current best performer Louis van Gaal (W61 D22 L17 in his first 100 games). But how does his record stack up against all the other coaches who have taken charge of a century of European matches after 100 games? UEFA.com has the answers. Louis van Gaal had the previous best record after 100 games ©Getty Images Sir Alex Ferguson with the UEFA Champions League trophy in 1999 ©Getty Images Coaches' records in UEFA club competition after 100 games Louis van Gaal W61 D22 L17 Rafael Benítez W60 D22 L18 Jupp Heynckes W58 D20 L22 Valeriy Lobanovskiy W56 D23 L21 Giovanni Trapattoni W56 D22 L22 Fabio Capello W54 D27 L19 Sven-Göran Eriksson W54 D26 L20 José Mourinho W54 D25 L21 Carlo Ancelotti W51 D27 L22 Ernst Happel W54 D18 L28 Sir Alex Ferguson W49 D32 L19 Manuel Pellegrini W48 D32 L20 Jorge Jesus W51 D22 L27 Otto Rehhagel W52 D19 L29 Bobby Robson W50 D25 L25 Ottmar Hitzfeld W50 D24 L26 Dick Advocaat W48 D29 L23 Luciano Spalletti W51 D19 L30 Unai Emery W47 D29 L24 Roberto Mancini W47 D27 L26 Oleg Romantsev W46 D23 L31 Guy Roux W46 D23 L31 Thomas Schaaf W44 D24 L32 Christian Gross W44 D23 L33 Guus Hiddink W43 D26 L31 Arsène Wenger W42 D29 L29 Mircea Lucescu W42 D25 L33 Yuri Semin W39 D23 L38 --- Josep Guardiola W61 D23 L15 |
Sixers rookie Joel Embiid had plenty of time to hone his social media skills while he spent the last two seasons rehabbing an injured foot. And, boy, is he good. In fact, he may be better at social media than he is at basketball -- and that's saying something, because he's pretty darn good at basketball. While he continues to campaign for a spot in next month's NBA All-Star Game (and a date with his celebrity crush, Rihanna), Embiid's Twitter and Instagram game has done almost as much for his chances of representing the Eastern Conference as his on-court play. Especially when it comes to shutting down the haters. Following Sunday's win over the Nets, in which Embiid scored 20 points, the 22-year-old center posted a photo to Instagram of him posing alongside teammates Nerlens Noel, Ben Simmons, and Philly rapper Meek Mill. That post caught the eye of adult film star and Washington Wizards fan Mia Khalifa, who has been known to trash talk athletes on social media (as well as blow up their spot if they try to slide into her DMs). She reposted the photo with the caption, "Room full of Ls," because, you know, the Sixers have lost a bunch of games. Embiid, not to be outdone, posted a comment on the photo that left the adult film star, who usually gets the last laugh, speechless. In the words of Liz Lemon, "Shut. It. Down." Follow Matt on Twitter: @matt_mullin |
BBC Radio 4 this morning had a brief item about margarine. The item focused on the fact that margarine manufacturers can trumpet the presence of ‘heart-healthy’ omega-3 fats on the label. Professor Jack Winkler, Professor of Nutrition Policy at London Metropolitan University made the claim that such labelling is misleading. It seems that margarine manufacturers are putting ‘cheap’ plant-based omega-3 fats (I assume alpha linolenic acid) and kinda passing them off as fish oils. Professor Winkler appeared to claim that fish-derived omega-3 fats have proven cardiovascular benefits that do not extend to plant-derived omega-3. What he wants is for food manufacturers to be able to make claims about the omega-3 content of their products, but only if they contain actual marine omega-3. Seems fine to me. But why stop there? Why not look and see what evidence there is for the other nutritional attributes of this ‘food’? The major constituents of margarine are ‘vegetable’ oils, obtained from foods such as sunflower seeds, rapeseed or soya beans. These oils are usually extracted using the application of pressure and heat, and maybe the use of solvents too. This processing can damage the fats and impart some unhealthy properties on them. The oil obtained by this process is then treated with sodium hydroxide to ‘neutralise’ certain fats in the oil that are unstable and may cause spoilage. After this, the oil is then bleached, filtered and steam-treated to produce what is essentially a colourless, flavourless liquid. To convert this into margarine, this oil is subjected to chemical processes such as interesterifcation or hydrogenation. Interestification involves the use of high temperature and pressure, along with enzymes or acids, to ‘harden’ the oil. In hydrogenation, hydrogen is bubbled through the oil at high temperature. The ‘partially-hydrogenated’ fats so produced can be tainted with trans fats that are strongly linked with heart disease. As a result, manufacturers now use interesterification as their preferred processing method. However, question marks remain regarding the health effects of these fats [1] – a situation that is essentially the same as the one when partially hydrogenated fats were introduced into the food supply and lauded as a healthy step forward. After this, hydrogenation or interesterification, the solidified fat is generally blended with other fats, which can be of vegetable or animal origin. And then the product needs to be both coloured and flavoured. Then, what are known as ‘emulsifying agents’ are added to prevent the product from separating out. And finally, the end result is extruded into a plastic tub. While margarine is passed off as something generally healthy, it is (in my view) a highly-processed, chemicalised food that does not really deserve the title of ‘food’ at all. It was originally sold to us on the basis that it is low in heart-stopping’ saturated fat, and therefore a healthy alternative to butter. However, hard as one looks, there is really no good evidence that saturated fat causes heart disease. Oh, and then we have margarine’s cholesterol-reducing properties. Except that taking dietary steps to reduce cholesterol does not appear to have broad benefits for health. And even if cholesterol-lowering did have apparently miraculous health benefits, does that mean that something that reduced cholesterol must be healthy. If a known poison was found to reduce cholesterol, would that somehow make it ‘healthy’? What is critically important is not the impact of a food (or anything else) on cholesterol levels, but it’s impact on health. So, what does the science show in this regard? One study in the scientific literature which examined the association between butter and margarine consumption and risk of heart disease in men [2]. This study found that butter consumption was not associated with heart disease risk. In other words, those men eating more butter were not at increased risk of suffering from heart disease. On the other hand, margarine consumption was associated with an increased risk of heart disease: in the long term, for each teaspoon of margarine consumed each day, risk of heart disease was found to be raised by 10 per cent. In another study [3], this one in women, long-term margarine consumption was associated with a 67 per cent increased risk of heart disease. These studies are old, but I’m not able to find any newer ones. Some say these studies reflect what we know about trans fats, but now we have interesterified fats, there’s no cause for concern. However, as I pointed out above, the health effects of these fats are essentially unknown. In my opinion, we really are not in a position to declare these fats as healthy. They may not even be safe. It appears as though there is no good evidence that margarine is healthier than butter. In fact, the evidence suggests butter is the preferred choice (it also tastes better, of course). The marketing of margarine to the masses seems distinctly unscientific and misleading to me, whatever the source of omega-3 fats it may contain. References: 1. Karupaiah T, et al. Effects of stereospecific positioning of fatty acids in triacylglycerol structures in native and randomized fats: a review of their nutritional implications. Nutrition & Metabolism 2007;4:16 2. Gillman MW, et al. Margarine intake and subsequent coronary heart disease in men. Epidemiology. 1997;8(2):144-149 3. Willett WC, et al. Intake of trans fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease among women. Lancet. 1993;341(8845):581-5 |
ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) - Air strikes in southern Yemen killed about 25 suspected al Qaeda members on Sunday, local tribal sources said, in the second operation of its kind within two days. People inspect the wreckage of a car hit by an air strike in the central Yemeni province of al-Bayda April 19, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer On Saturday an air strike killed 10 al Qaeda militants and three civilians in central Yemen, a country that neighbors top oil exporter Saudi Arabia and is home to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), one of the group’s most lethal wings. The defense ministry said Sunday’s strikes targeted a remote mountainous region of the south. Its website quoted an official source on the High Security Committee as saying that they were based on information that “terrorist elements were planning to target vital civilian and military installations”. Similar wording was used to justify Saturday’s strike, in which three nearby civilians were also killed. The defense ministry did not specify the nature of the air strikes, but in both cases local sources said unmanned drone aircraft had been circulating the target areas beforehand. The United States acknowledges using drone strikes to target AQAP in Yemen, but it does not comment on the practice. Local tribal sources said about 25 bodies had been transferred from the sites of Sunday’s attacks to nearby towns. They said at least three separate strikes had taken place after dawn prayers, all targeting al Qaeda camps. One official said the militants targeted were among the “leading and dangerous” elements of al Qaeda and were of different nationalities. Eyewitnesses said they had seen al Qaeda militants dragging dead bodies and some wounded people out of the area. U.S. drone attacks have killed several suspected AQAP figures, including Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S.-born Islamist cleric accused of links to plots to bomb a Detroit-bound airliner in 2009 and U.S. cargo planes in 2010. Saudi Arabia also watches AQAP with concern, since the branch was founded by citizens of both countries and has sworn to bring down its ruling al-Saud family. An online video has been circulating with AQAP leader Nasser al-Wuhaishi addressing a large gathering of fighters in an undisclosed mountainous region of Yemen and vowing to attack the United States. Yemen has been fighting AQAP but the group, which has attacked military targets, tourists and diplomats in the country and taken over territory for long periods, is proving hard to beat so far. |
Mumbai 15-year-old Pranav Dhanawade entered the record books as he set a new world record when he blasted 1009 not out from 323 balls during the HT Bhandari Cup inter-school cricket tournament organised by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), yesterday. Opening the batting for Smt KC Gandhi School, Kalyan, Pranav scored 1009 not out off just 323 balls against Arya Gurukul school. The Kalyan boy wreaked havoc as he smashed 129 fours and 59 sixes en route the world record at the Union Cricket Club ground. Pranav Dhanawade.... Runs - 1009* Balls - 323 Mins - 395 S/R - 312.38 Sixes - 59 Fours - 129 His school KC Gandhi HS declared @ 1465 — Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 5, 2016 Pranav's epic innings means that he now holds the record for the highest individual score in any form of representative cricket, bettering AEJ Collins' 628 not out for for Clark’s House against North Town in Clifton College in 1899 in the UK. Arya Gurukul's miseries just compounded after they were bundled out for a paltry 31 in their first innings. Pranav's record-breaking feat propelled his team to a mammoth 1465, after which they declared, in the two-day school league and two of his teammates — Akash Singh and Siddhesh Patil — also scored tons. The 15-year-old was delighted that his heroics arrived in presence of his father — Prashant — an autorickshaw driver who amidst financial constraints, put in a lot of hard work to support Pranav's cricket. “I want my son to become a great cricketer. He has proved that he has the talent today. Cricket is not an easy sport and expensive too. I spent extra hours driving an autorickshaw in order to afford the cricket gear for my son,” Prashant told The Indian Express. Previously, Mumbai boy Prithvi Shaw held the record for the highest score by an Indian batsman in minor cricket when he hit 546 for Rizvi Springfield against St Francis in the Harris Shield in 2013-14. Two other Mumbai boys Sarfaraz Khan (498) and Armaan Jaffer (498) had captured the headlines with massive scores playing in Harris Shield matches in 2009 and 2010. They are a part of the U-19 World Cup side that will travel to Bangladesh this month. Earlier, Pranav said he was motivated to break the records set by the Sarfaraz, Armaan and Prithvi and was confident that he will reach the 1,000-run mark. At the end, he did. "Once I reached 350, I was determined that I had to break those records. I had heard about the three of them, and how they made it to the history books," Pranav told DNA. "I am confident that I can do it. I will definitely try to score 1,000 runs as I am just 350 away. If I can score 600 runs in two sessions, I am confident of scoring 350 in one session," he added. Click here for the Indian Express report. Click here for the DNA report. 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. |
Human Rights Council Recommends Accountability of Israel in The Hague Human Rights Council – United Nations Office at Geneva has recommended accountability of Israel in The Hague. The Human Rights Council this afternoon heard yesterday the introduction of the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on ensuring respect for international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, followed by a general debate on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories. Flavia Pansieri, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, presenting the report, recalled the dramatic deterioration of the human rights situation that had taken place in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in recent months. Monitoring and verification of violations continued but there was a pressing need for more thorough investigation, and for appropriate and effective accountability measures. According to Pansieri report, preliminary data suggested that 1,479 of a total of 2,158 Palestinian fatalities were civilians, of them 506 were children. On the Israeli side, reports indicated that in addition to 66 soldiers, at least five civilians were killed during hostilities, as well as one person whose status was not yet known. More than 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza were left without a habitable home to return to. And as of 26 August, 497,000 people had been internally displaced. The tragic deaths of hundreds of migrants from Gaza in the Mediterranean in recent days showed just how desperate many people were to escape their miserable situation. The report noted serious concerns of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including some that may amount to war crimes. There were concerns with respect to conduct by Palestinian armed groups, including the indiscriminate nature of rocket attacks and the reported failure to respect the inviolability of United Nations premises. Conduct during the hostilities by Israeli forces raised serious concerns that international humanitarian law principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack had not been respected. Meanwhile, the situation in the West Bank remained a grave cause for concern. Following the kidnapping and murder in June of three Israeli youths near Hebron, Israeli authorities resumed the practice of punitive demolitions, carried out mass arrests of Palestinians, and imposed severe movement restrictions. It was of critical importance that steps were taken at the domestic level to ensure accountability for violations of international law, and that all parties cooperated fully with the Commission of Inquiry. The recommendation to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court as one avenue of accountability remained relevant. Statement by Concerned Countries State of Palestine, speaking as a concerned country, expressed its disappointment at Israel’s decision not to participate in this agenda item of the Council. The occupation and numerous human rights violations by Israel for the last 47 years made Israel the world’s biggest violator of human rights. The latest Israeli aggression had put the occupied Gaza Strip under siege, shelling and bombarding it by air, land and sea. Its targeting of civilians, private property, infrastructure and United Nations buildings such as the UNRWA schools was tantamount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The aggression led to the murder of more than 2,000 and injury of more than 11,000 civilians, more than a third of whom were children. Half a million Palestinians had been displaced. Palestine welcomed the Council’s appointment of the independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate what happened, adding that the international community should force accountability and end impunity, including by forcing Israel to cooperate with the International Criminal Court. Palestine said since 1967 Israel had detained some 800,000 Palestinians, 6,500 of whom continued to languish in prison, including 2,200 Palestinians detained by Israel in the last two months. Israel was one of the worst offenders of arbitrary detention. Palestine condemned the plans to forcibly displace Palestinian Bedouins from the eastern part of Jerusalem and called on the United Nations to put an end to Israel’s illegal settlement activities. Palestine called on all States to implement United Nations advisory principles on trade and human rights. It paid tribute to Switzerland’s efforts to convene a meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention on its application on the occupied Palestinian territories, in order to better protect civilians. Syria, speaking as a concerned country, said that the violations of human rights by Israel were part and parcel of discriminatory policies and practices of Israel towards Palestinian and Syrian citizens living under the occupation. Israel continued to defy the international community and disregard its resolutions, and enjoyed impunity under the protection of some countries. Israel continued to provide assistance to terrorist organizations operating on the border in order to undermine peace keeping operations, and this was documented. Other countries that supported terrorism were in cohort with Israel, such as Qatar. It was time to put an end to the expansionist and colonialist policy of Israel, including the coercive displacement of people. |
Elon Musk and his electric car company Tesla have a problem. Starting April 1, they will no longer be able to sell their luxury vehicles directly to consumers in New Jersey, thanks to an old law that requires automakers to sell through car dealerships. This is bad for Tesla, since New Jersey is the company’s fourth largest market, and this is bad for customers there, since now they won’t be able to purchase the cars in state. It’s also a perfect example of how a particularly bad kind of regulation can (and does) inflict damage on the economy, every day and all over the country. The situation in New Jersey is a bit complex. A law already on the books requires that car sales take place through dealers. But the law didn’t say clearly who could be a dealer—an ambiguity Tesla used to justify direct sales. The trade group representing traditional dealers, the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers, lobbied state authorities to “clarify” the rule. The Coalition got its wish. On March 11, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission decreed that applicants for opening dealerships must be “franchisees.” Tesla, as the automaker, is not a franchisee. It’s the franchisor. And that means it must stop selling cars directly to people who want to buy them. Tesla has lashed out at Governor Chris Christie and his administration, saying they are simply trying to help and protect in-state dealers. Christie, for his part, has said he has no problem with Tesla selling cars directly to consumers in New Jersey, but that right now, has no choice, but to enforce the law. Tesla is also trying to get the New Jersey legislation to change the law—which seems to be the one surefire way that Tesla could regain the ability to sell cars directly. Whether or not the company succeeds, the story offers a case study in how poorly designed, but politically strong regulations can stifle growth. Tesla is a growing firm that offers green vehicles, albeit at a price. The firm does not think dealers will fairly market its vehicles to potential customers. And it thinks dealers will insist upon taking cuts, as middle men. That’s bound to drive up the car’s price or reduce what the company makes on every sale. One New Jersey car dealer said exactly that to The Verge: |
Fox News host Elisabeth Hasselbeck (Screen capture) Conservatives are incensed that President Barack Obama quoted scripture in his speech last night about immigration reform, Media Matters for America reports. “Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger — we were strangers once, too,” the president said Thursday night. “My fellow Americans, we are and always will be a nation of immigrants. We were strangers once, too.” On Fox & Friends, Tucker Carlson accused the president of using the Biblical quotations to prove that “God is on [his] side.” “It’s repugnant,” Carlson said, “for this guy specifically, the president who spent his career defending late-term abortion, among other things, lecturing us on Christian faith? That’s too much. That is too much. This is the Christian left at work, and it’s repugnant.” “To quote scripture?” he added, “that’s out of bounds.” “He’s using it to guilt someone into” supporting immigration reform, Elisabeth Hasselbeck replied. “That’s not what the scholars behind the Bible would interpret as proper use.” Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee agreed, writing on Facebook that it “is interesting that Obama cites Scripture as the justification for him taking unilateral action on illegal immigrants.” “It’s similar to the way that his Biblical beliefs led him to oppose same-sex marriage as a candidate for election. Then when he needed big campaign donations from gay liberals for his reelection, the Bible suddenly got rewritten.” “I always thought that Scripture was eternal and unchanging,” he concluded, “but apparently, now that Obama is President, Scripture gets rewritten more often than Bill Cosby’s Wikipedia entry.” Watch the video of the Fox & Friends hosts discussing the president’s use of Scripture below. |
REUTERS/Jim Young The city has a new task force on police accountability. But how will it function in the current union climate? Chicago’s new task force on police accountability, announced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel on December 1, will look at creating an early-warning system to identify potentially abusive cops before they go rogue. Someone in the press-conference audience noted that the Chicago police department already has an early warning system. Indeed, it does. But it is “woefully ineffective,” says Craig Futterman, a professor in the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic of the University of Chicago Law School. Futterman aided the legal fight to force Chicago police to release the video of Officer Jason Van Dyke killing 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, and is also behind an ongoing effort to publicize citizen complaints of police misconduct. The early-warning system the Chicago police department currently has, explains Futterman, is to identify stressed cops who might require professional counseling. It does not, however, identify police who’ve had multiple complaints lodged against them for verbal and physical abusive. When Futterman’s legal research team compared a list of the Chicago police officers with the most misconduct complaints with a list of those enrolled in the current early-warning program, they found that less than six percent of those officers had ever been enrolled. But cops who are repeatedly reported for abuse don’t need counseling, says Futterman, they need to be investigated. And that’s the problem: Police have been repeat offenders in the eyes of many Chicagoans, but they rarely are disciplined. The city’s new police accountability task force must address a “fundamental issue here, which is [that] you have groups of officers abusing the most vulnerable among us with near impunity,” says Futterman. Cops who are repeatedly reported for abuse don’t need counseling, they need to be investigated. From the limited data he’s been able to wrangle from the city on police misconduct, Futterman has shown that it’s not difficult to spot who the problem officers are. Officer Van Dyke had 18 complaints filed against him and was involved in two shootings before he killed McDonald. “So when Officer Van Dyke got complaint number 11, as a matter of practice and policy [the Chicago police department] won’t look at his other complaints or investigations, but instead look at [that complaint] as an island unto itself,” says Futterman The Chicago police union has filed a motion to allow the department to erase any complaint record of police misconduct that’s older than four years. The union is asking for this right just as the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times have filed in court for the right to data on police misconduct complaints going back to 1967 —which the city already agreed to fork over in an earlier consent decree. It will be interesting to see how the city can forge a new early-warning system if it can’t actually track early warnings from years back. Futterman and Jamie Kalven, the journalist who filed the FOIA request that brought the Laquan McDonald video out to the public, head to court on December 3 to make their case for preserving the misconduct complaints dating back to 1967. Kalven’s FOIA work is the primary reason why the public has access to any police misconduct data at all. But they’ve had to fight for years to get it from people in city hall, and from a police union that is perhaps afraid of what these records could reveal. Cities are changing fast. Keep up with the CityLab Daily newsletter. The best way to follow issues you care about. Subscribe Loading... “I think that’s part of the reason why the city hasn’t wanted to expose them,” says Futterman. He sets up a hypothetical example of four police officers who made 200 arrests in the past year that led to felony convictions, who are then revealed to have numerous abuse complaints against them. “That could undermine maybe 200 felony convictions. That means 200 potential lawsuits. It raises political questions about who’s been minding the store. And if we say it's easy to identify bad officers like those four, then we’ve been letting them go on for five or six years doing this kind of stuff.” Mayor Emanuel said that the primary function of the new police accountability task force, and the new police chief, is to restore the public’s trust and confidence in the police. Futterman believes this is possible. “If you want to build trust, it starts with honesty,” says Futterman. “Incidents will still happen. Even in the best police departments there will be incidents where police abuse their power. The trusted departments start with being honest. It’s not circle the wagons, it’s not denial and secrecy, it’s keeping people informed.” It’s not evident, however, that this is possible in the current “Blue Wall” code-of-silence police culture. Especially considering recent tragedies and the Black Lives Matter zeitgeist, which is fixing the public gaze on police killings of African Americans in Ferguson, Baltimore, Cleveland and beyond. “’Restore’ may not be the right word,” says Futterman, “particularly when talking about large segments of the black community. ‘Restore’ means there was confidence there to begin with.” |
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government to file a status report with details of money spent by it on advertisements following a Supreme Court direction on the issue. A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath observed that "prima facie what you (Delhi government) are doing is in violation of Supreme Court judgment" and it is with "public money". "Having regard to the fact that the Supreme Court issued strict directions... and keeping in view the averments in the petitions, the Delhi government is directed to file its response furnishing the details of the amount spent on advertisements in the print and electronic media after the Supreme Court judgment," the court said, adding, ""The Delhi government to also furnish the source of the expenditure on advertisements." The matter has been posted for hearing on August 3. The court was hearing a bunch of PILs including a plea by Congress leader Ajay Maken, seeking restraint on advertisements allegedly glorifying chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party. Maken, who heads the Delhi unit of the Congress party, also sought direction to restrain the Delhi government from publishing Kejriwal's name in any of its current or future advertisements. He alleged that the AAP was violating the guidelines of the Supreme Court, which prohibited the use of photographs of political leaders, including ministers, in advertisements issued by the government and its agencies, saying it leads to promotion of a personality cult. During the hearing, the bench asked Delhi government counsel Raman Duggal whether the expenses for the advertisements were from the AAP or the city government's fund. The counsel replied that the advertisements of the Delhi government were from the party fund, to which the bench asked why it had increased the budget allocation to Rs.526 crore. The counsel said the government has withdrawn some of the advertisements and hoardings from the capital's streets. Another PIL filed by PhD scholar Varun Kumar Mahla sought immediate withdrawal of advertisements by the Delhi government that use phrases like "Kejriwal Sarkar". The plea said the act of the government was contrary to a ruling of the Supreme Court which called the development of personality cult of political functionaries at the cost of public money as an "antithesis to democracy". IANS 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. |
I was so excited when I received my package yesterday from my tea Santa. It has two great single-serve bag teas and a nice note saying hi and explaining why they chose them. The first is a favorite of their's - a blackberry vanilla that I can't wait to try out tomorrow morning going to school (I don't mind it's not caffeinated). The second is a tea I have been searching for off and on for the last several years. When I was fourteen years old, my family took a vacation up to Canada (Vancouver area) and the very first restaurant I went to I asked for tea - expecting iced tea. Much to my surprise, a steaming tea pot and a bags of Red Rose greeted me instead. Well, being the southern lady I was (and to be fair, completely embarrassed), I acted like I was totally cool with it, took my first drink of hot tea and a new love began. I brought home with me two boxes of Red Rose from that trip, thinking I would be able to find it easily when I was home, but I have been sadly mistaken and I have just hated to buy in major bulk since I like so many different kinds of tea now. So, thank you so much Santa, whoever you are, I hope you are feeling better and know you made this Okie/Missourian a very happy lady! |
The author of Millionaire Migrants was one the first to provide evidence that the foreign real-estate dreams of China’s wealthy have arguably had more impact than anything on Metro Vancouver’s housing unaffordability. UBC geographer David Ley, along with SFU’s Wu Qiyan, told me early this year the city’s real-estate bubble would be punctured when leaders of the People’s Republic of China further restrict money leaving their country. Now strong signs are appearing that Metro Vancouver’s real-estate balloon has indeed been pricked by China’s heightened capital controls. Demand for multi-million dollar dwellings in Metro Vancouver is falling. “All the high-end stuff is sluggish,” says Vancouver realtor-analyst Steve Saretsky. Sales volumes and prices on detached houses are especially dropping on the west side of Vancouver, in Richmond and in West Vancouver, where Mainland Chinese buyers had been active buying and building mansions. Real Estate Association of Greater Vancouver figures show the median price of a detached home is down more than $500,000 since February, to $1.7 million. (The declining demand for detached homes counters a run on small condos in Metro Vancouver. Saretsky believes condo purchases are not as tied to Mainland Chinese investors, while others nevertheless cite high Asian pre-sales.) Veteran Canadian real-estate data analyst Stephen Punwasi also has little doubt “Chinese capital is having a tougher time getting out of China” since leaders introduced tighter controls in January. “Vancouver locals selling $3 million bungalows are going to have trouble finding an alternative to foreign urban land buyers, so prices need to be slashed,” Punwasi said. The co-founder of Better Dwelling, which specializes in housing data, said the volume of “hot money” leaving China in August has plummeted almost 40 per cent compared to August last year, to roughly $46 billion US. This is the kind of cash that typically goes into foreign real estate. UPDATE Dec. 2017: Douglas Todd: Vancouver’s housing crisis revealed by looking to China, Australia, New Zealand Related Ley is also convinced low and medium-wealthy Chinese investors are being “bitten” by China’s new controls. However, Ley cautions that many of China’s super-wealthy “have already moved a lot of capital outside the P.R.C.” into trust funds, offshore tax havens and secret bank accounts. Even though Chinese and other foreign capital will continue to flow into Metro Vancouver and Toronto — with unpredictably destructive effect for locals — the phenomenally high volume of detached-home sales of the past few years is seriously easing. In the past demand from China for Metro Vancouver real estate has been staggering. Josh Gordon, of Simon Fraser University, said National Bank of Canada economists estimate “almost $13 billion Cdn was spent by Chinese investors in Vancouver in 2015 alone. This represents roughly one-third of all home sales volume in that year.” The West Coast of Canada and the U.S. has been the most popular destination for China’s elite, according to the Hurun Report. As Ley says, China has become a “fundamental” of Metro Vancouver’s housing market, along with factors such as interest rates. Even though Metro Vancouver’s 2.5-million population is small, the Hurun Report shows China’s moneyed class are more attracted to Metro than larger “gateway” cities such as Sydney, London and Singapore. Metro Vancouver’s real estate prices, Ley said, have gone up and down with China’s fluctuating economy since the 1990s. Chinese trans-nationals are drawn to Metro, Ley said, for its clean air, climate, trusted universities, relatively short flight times and for having a Chinese-speaking community that makes up one fifth of the population. That’s why the Communist country’s recent crackdown on the illicit flight of capital has been so crucial on the Canadian West Coast. SFU urban studies professor Wu Qiyan said the Jan. 1 edicts demand a written pledge from Chinese residents that yuan converted into U.S. dollars will not be used to buy property overseas. China has also created a government black list and harsher penalties for violators, said Wu, while keeping the amount that can legally leave the country to $50,000 US a person per year. Even though Canadians can be forgiven for being uninterested in the macro-economics of China, it’s worth knowing its authoritarian leaders motives. They want to keep more capital in China to bolster monetary reserves and secure the country’s extraordinarily high volume of loans. As Saretsky says, China is trying “avoid a run on its banks.” Understanding China’s investors could also help Canadians intelligently guess what’s happening in their local real estate markets, perhaps even to the house next door. Mainland Chinese and other foreign owners of Metro Vancouver and Toronto houses behave differently than locals, Punwasi said. They tend to treat their properties “like gold bars that don’t need immediate liquidity. Those homes are treated as long-term, inflation-sensitive assets,” Punwasi said. Most won’t be selling right away. Metro Vancouver is not alone in being buffeted by the financial elephant that is China, even while its rumblings are arguably more intense here. Also experiencing sharp declines in Chinese capital are Hong Kong and cities in the U.S., Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Most Canadian politicians have been more than reluctant to discuss what amounts to the loss of regional economic sovereignty posed by foreign buyers, let alone try to stop the housing unaffordability their riches create for struggling locals. Metro Vancouver’s declining high-end prices may be one of the reasons the new B.C. NDP government has so far taken a hands-off approach rather than bringing in promised legislation to cool the housing market, says Saretsky. “Housing is a critical component in many people’s equity and their retirement prospects,” NDP leader John Horgan said this week, “and we want to make sure that we don’t adversely effect the market place. What we want to make sure is we get speculation out.” If Metro’s real estate market is correcting on its own largely because of China’s new capital controls, why would Horgan take the political heat when some long-established property owners begin to see their out-sized values slide, at least in the short term, at least on paper? That said, let’s hope the NDP still takes action on many housing fronts, particularly to rein in speculators, foreign and domestic, including those who have found questionable ways to avoid paying their fair share of income taxes. A balancing act is required on housing policy, difficult as it might be. dtodd@postmedia.com Twitter.com/douglastodd MORE RELATED: Douglas Todd: New 10-year visas stoke housing boom in Vancouver, Toronto Douglas Todd: Three million people snap up Canada’s 10-year visas Douglas Todd: Can China save us from ecological destruction? Douglas Todd: Chinese languages gain ground in Metro Vancouver |
Organisms ranging from bacteria to humans have circadian clocks to help them synchronize their biological activities to the time of day. A study published by Cell Press October 16th in Cell now reveals that gut microbes in mice and humans have circadian rhythms that are controlled by the biological clock of the host in which they reside. Disruption of the circadian clock in the host alters the rhythms and composition of the microbial community, leading to obesity and metabolic problems. "These findings provide an explanation for a long-standing and mysterious observation, namely that people with chronically disturbed day-night cycles due to repetitive jet lag or shift work have a tendency to develop obesity and other metabolic complications," says senior study author Eran Elinav of the Weizmann Institute of Science. "These surprising findings may enable us to devise preventive treatments for these people to lower their risk for these complications." Disruption of the circadian clock in humans is a hallmark of relatively recent lifestyle changes involving chronic shift work or frequent flights across time zones. These widespread behavioral patterns have been linked to a wide range of diseases, including obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. But, until now, it has not been clear how changes in circadian rhythms increase the risk for these diseases. In the new study, Elinav and his team set out to determine whether gut microbes could be the missing link. When they analyzed microbes found in fecal samples collected from mice and humans at different times of day, they discovered rhythmic fluctuations in the abundance of microbes and their biological activities. The host's circadian clock and normal feeding habits were required for the generation of these rhythmic fluctuations in the gut microbes. When mice were exposed to changing light-dark schedules and abnormal 24 hr feeding habits, the microbial community lost its rhythmic fluctuations and changed in composition. Moreover, a high-fat diet caused these jet-lagged mice to gain weight and develop metabolic problems associated with diabetes. Similarly, jet lag in two humans who had traveled from the United States to Israel changed the composition of gut microbes, favoring the growth of bacteria that have been linked to obesity and metabolic disease. "Our findings highlight a new therapeutic target that may be exploited in future studies to normalize the microbiota in those people whose lifestyle involves frequent alterations in sleep patterns, such as shift workers and very frequent fliers," Elinav says. "Targeting the harmful changes in the microbiota in these large human populations with probiotic or antimicrobial therapies may reduce or even prevent their risk of developing obesity and its complications." |
Samson & Delilah, Friend Of The Devil, Me & My Uncle-> Mexicali Blues, Althea, Little Red Rooster, Tennessee Jed, My Brother Esau, Might As Well Touch Of Gray-> Women Are Smarter, Uncle John's Band-> Playin' In The Band-> Drums-> The Wheel-> Playin' In The Band-> China Doll-> Sugar Magnolia, E: U.S. Blues Audience Recording: Sennheiser 441-->Sony D6; posted to abgd plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews Reviewer: gordon hensley - favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 9, 2016 Subject: high energy second set after the five star hampton show the night before this show an under-appreciated gem... very nice aud, 2nd set crackling w/energy... - December 9, 2016high energy second set Reviewer: Tigerturtle - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 23, 2016 Subject: Space shuttle Lucky to see this show with a bunch of great friends - January 23, 2016Space shuttle Reviewer: tomKmusic - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 21, 2015 Subject: My 19th Birthday Party Probably my favorite concert, ever. We were 10 people back from Bob for the whole show. Super fun dance night. Really enjoyed singing with "Woman Smarter." Heck, waiting in line for tickets for this show was a hoot. Good time. 19 years old with my whole life ahead of me. - November 21, 2015My 19th Birthday Party Reviewer: gway5 - favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 6, 2015 Subject: Great energy Like the past reviewer I just sort of stumbled upon this show. Hadn't heard it since the night of the show. Lots of vitality here. I remember being a little sleepy after the Hampton show but perked right up after the Samson opener. First China Doll for me this night. The arena is one of those old school big roof, round basketball gyms and we were way up. Sound was just ok where we were. In retrospect we shoulda pushed towards the front. This recording seems to capture the intensity of being close. - June 6, 2015Great energy Reviewer: naomijoelle - favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 3, 2015 Subject: Nice Nugget Just cruzin through the archives and came across this show. Nice! - May 3, 2015Nice Nugget Reviewer: jjg4762 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 26, 2014 Subject: Fun day and night Listening to this one this morning man I love the Internet archives. So much fun to go back in time and check out any show anytime. This is a very good show was a ton of fun. Any Playin- drums- Wheel Playin China doll is hot.Throw in Uncle John's Band and we have a winner folks. What I recall from this day and night was being in the parking lot needing to take a shower after the nights before dance fest.One of us discovered that the gym was open and the showers were free (Free meaning no one using them).A bunch of us started showering think how great it was to get a nice hot shower.Just as we were enjoying the warmth we could hear cleats coming down the hall at us. Time to go!!!! Was the football or baseball cant remember exactly which team returning from practice.They did not look at all friendly after all we stinky hippies were using there showers.As many of you probably know many of us were not the cleanest smelling or looking people at the time.Running out the door butt naked getting dressed as we ran. Will never forget the look on there faces. Giving 5 stars because this does sound that good to me. I think it sounds better then the day of. - November 26, 2014Fun day and night Reviewer: deadmax - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 4, 2011 Subject: The girl with lobotomy eyes I loved every aspect of this show which stands as a tiny jewel in the canon of Dead shows. It sparkles very much the way Irvine in '85 did. Very different sound. I like the carnival keyboard remark. They dedicate US blues to "The Girl with Lobotomy Eyes". I've always liked that. - June 4, 2011The girl with lobotomy eyes Reviewer: uncle john 83 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 5, 2010 Subject: yahoo This was my first show. I had listened to some GD on albums before this, and I was just blown away and completely taken by surprise at the amount of energy their playing had. We had seats, but just before the show everyone started moving and we got onto the floor just in front of Phil - the farty noises another reviewer mentioned were AWESOME from a few feet away! The thing about this show is that it was a very small venue, I think they played faster, more rockin shows in small venues - The energy in the show was intense. - August 5, 2010yahoo Reviewer: Bud C. - favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 1, 2009 Subject: ...Uncle John's It was cool seeing a show in West Virginia, but I think everyone was tired like myself from driving all the way from Hampton the night before. The show was average until.... Uncle John's! Wow! The best version I've ever seen. - January 1, 2009...Uncle John's Reviewer: Diggz - favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 19, 2008 Subject: I would love a copy! Any assistance on obtaining this show hit me up please! - November 19, 2008I would love a copy! Reviewer: gphishmon - favorite favorite favorite - April 11, 2008 Subject: Just missed 25th Anniversary of my 3rd show. I had just turned 16 - it was a birthday present from my bro. A very short, but hot show. China Doll blew everyone's minds, since it was the first in a while and was a particularly intense, albeit too fast version. Everything was played really fast that night. Very nice sounding aud. - April 11, 2008Just missed 25th Anniversary Reviewer: mikesalvio - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 3, 2007 Subject: I was there While standing watching this show my friend turned to me and said "he's making up notes", referring to Jerry's outstanding esoteric playing that day. Being a musician for many years, I was sure my friend was right. - August 3, 2007I was there Reviewer: RipplinstillH20 - favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 10, 2007 Subject: i went to this show..... I was supposed to be "looking" at colleges..hehe I was doing spring 83 tour....this was a rocker...the sound was awesome....Enjoy this one.... - April 10, 2007i went to this show..... Reviewer: Ala Ropes - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 21, 2005 Subject: 5 star, 4 dolphin show Wow, what a night! The electric exchange going on between band and the audience during the 2nd set is -waaay- apparent on this copy! Everything from Brent's "carnival" keyboards to Jerry's transcendant noodlings made for a truly mind-melting show. If you saw some fool up front begging for "Dark Star" after "Sugar Mags", that would be me.... - October 21, 20055 star, 4 dolphin show Reviewer: Roadawg - favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 16, 2005 Subject: cm said it Great but scarice WV Grateful Dead show, the UWVirginia was RAWKin' 4/10/1983, this I know. The first set was fairly standard, but the 2nd set just RAWKs, I give this show a total of 4 outta 5 stars. unknown AUD sounds good to boot, the SBD is prefered by myself, but you kinda have to listen to that AUD source to get a feel what everyone was Really Feelin'! ~dk - September 16, 2005cm said it |
Credits The comic has been dubbed!Thanks for the 1,000 faves guys!This is now my most favorited, viewed, and commented deviation! You're all awesomePhew. Done. I just want to let you guys know that for the past month, this is what I have been working on. To be honest, I think it was worth it. This was actually a project I had to kind of one-up my previous In the Dark of the Night picture from a while back, which was my first MLP related picture ever. This is also my first time vectoring entire ponies... the body, armor, hair, everything. So I realized I needed another Chrysalis picture, because I feel she deserves it and that's where this idea came from. So ever since then, I've been essentially busting my ass over this. The majority of these panels took several hours to do, mostly due to the vectoring, but yeah. I hope you enjoy this treat from me, guys! It was awesome to do, but I really need a nice, long break now.Enjoy!Not bad for my first pony comic, I say.Princess Papillon is owned and was used with permission by Hellfire from the Hunchback of Notre Dame www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqGL9B… fav.me/d5ionr4 , by fav.me/d4lckcc by fav.me/d4s84fj by fav.me/d4xa9uw by fav.me/d4xbosd by fav.me/d4xxi1c by fav.me/d4xd75n by fav.me/d4y2pp7 by fav.me/d4x7868 by fav.me/d4xf9jp by fav.me/d571xyf by fav.me/d58ii2h by fav.me/d4ct67w by fav.me/d4ykl5j by fav.me/d5b9n3c by fav.me/d5n5wps by fav.me/d5nt90q by fav.me/d5nskju by fav.me/d5n5w2n by |
Advertisement Tens of thousands of Pakistanis have gathered for the funeral of a police officer who was executed yesterday for murdering a secular governor who wanted to reform the country's blasphemy laws. As a precaution against violence, authorities closed all schools and stepped up security in Islamabad and the adjacent city of Rawalpindi, where the funeral of Mumtaz Qadri was held. Qadri, a former police bodyguard, shot liberal Punjab provincial governor Salman Taseer 28 times in Islamabad in 2011. He said he was angry at the politician's calls to reform the blasphemy law. Thousands of mourners gather in Rawalpindi, Pakistan to celebrate the killer Mumtaz Qadri who was executed yesterday. Pictured bottom left is an ambulance carrying his body as it snakes its way through the mass of people Qadi's coffin was carried through Rawalpindi today (pictured) before tens of thousands of supporters as they threw rose petals on its roof Supporters of Qadri pray in unison during his public funeral in Rawalpindi, a city next to Islamabad Qadri, who is considered a hero for killing the reformist politician, was loved by many of the country's religious conservatives Despite the fact the policeman shot a politician 28 times in 2011, thousands attended his funeral to worship him as a hero People hold a photo of police officer Mumtaz Qadri, who was executed by the state of Pakistan yesterday Today roads around key government buildings and diplomatic compounds were also closed off, while Qadri's supporters threw rose petals at the ambulance carrying his coffin through Rawalpindi. Authorities put a gag order on local media covering the funeral, warning outlets in a letter they would face closure if their reporting 'glorifies extremism'. Meanwhile, footage posted on social media showed Qadri's supporters jeering at Pakistani Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid at Karachi's airport. One threw a shoe at the minister but he ducked. Some supporters attacked a media crew, breaking at least one video camera. Qadri's hanging yesterday triggered street protests in several Pakistani cities as some religious and political leaders, and militant groups have publicly defended him. He was executed for killing secular governor Salman Taseer who had called for reforms of the country's harsh blasphemy laws. Shortly after the attack, Qadri said he killed Governor Taseer because he had allegedly committed blasphemy by campaigning to change the laws and also in support of a jailed Christian woman accused of desecrating Islam's holy book, the Koran. Tens of thousands of Qadri's supporters walked for miles to reach the funeral venue as police had blocked most of the roads for traffic. Many chanted in support of Qadri while others carried posters with photographs of the former officer. One of those in the crowds, Ahmad Nadeem, wore a T-shirt with the painted logo: 'I'm Mumtaz Qadri.' Supporters of the Islamist political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam shout slogans during a protest in Peshawar following Qadri's execution Another similar protest was held by the political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam in the city of Lahore (pictured) Supporters in Lahore chant slogans and wave flags following the former police guards hanging in Pakistan yesterday Qadri was loved by many of the country's conservatives eager to prevent a loosening of the country's blashemy laws. Pictured are his supporters reading from the Koran in Peshawar A supporter of the Islamic political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam reads from the Koran during the religious ceremony in Peshawar 'I wouldn't hesitate to do the same,' he said. Pakistan's blasphemy laws allow for anyone convicted of insulting Islam to be sentenced to death, though people often take the law into their own hands. The January 2011 assassination horrified Pakistan's relatively small liberal elite. However, many Pakistanis, including some in the religious establishment and in legal circles, praised Qadri - a sign of the spread of Islamic fundamentalist thought in the South Asian nation. Pakistan lifted a moratorium on the death penalty after a Taliban school attack in December 2014 and has executed more than 300 convicts since then. The government has also taken measures against extremism, introducing a ban on hate speech, abuse of mosques, as well as media blackout on militant groups. Islamabad has also promised to improve security for minority groups and upgrade legislations on individual rights and women's rights. Mourners covered the ambulance carrying Qadri's body with red rose petals as it made its way past them The ceremony attracted tens of thousands of mourners who are opposed to any reformation of the country's blasphemy laws Pakistani supporters of convicted murderer Mumtaz Qadri shout slogans prior his funeral prayers in Rawalpindi |
Overview The Middle East and North Africa is experiencing a period of sustained challenge to its stability and to its position as the primary global energy supplier. Territorial and political uncertainties continue to affect the region at the same time as the world’s energy landscape appears to be moving away from traditional hegemonies. This conference will deliver expert insight into the political, social and market developments affecting the region’s policy-makers and oil and gas producers, including discussions on: Power, leadership and security across the MENA region Global oil and gas production and emerging market dynamics Meeting rising domestic energy demand and implications for the regions exporters Political developments and upstream investment opportunities The Chatham House Rule To enable as open a debate as possible, this conference will be held under the Chatham House Rule. Twitter Suggested hashtag: #CHMenaEnergy |
Well, this certainly won’t do anything to quell speculation that Mike Babcock could end up with the Toronto Maple Leafs next season. Bodog released betting odds for who will be the next full-time head coach and general manager of the Maple Leafs and Babcock’s name was on top of both lists. Joining Babcock on the coaching list is soon-to-be-former San Jose Sharks bench boss Todd McLellan, former Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma and recently fired New Jersey Devils coach Peter DeBoer. Also, a pair of faces Maple Leafs fans will be familiar with – Doug Gilmour and Dallas Eakins – are options. Gilmour is the current GM of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs and one of the most popular players in Maple Leafs history, while Eakins was an assistant in Toronto for two seasons before becoming head coach of the Toronto Marlies in 2009 and spending four seasons in that role. On the GM front, Babcock leads a pack that includes highly touted assistant GMs Mike Futa of the Los Angeles Kings and Paul Fenton of the Nashville Predators. Veteran GMs Ray Shero, Doug Wilson and Peter Chiarelli, plus former NHL goalie Sean Burke are there too. Current Leafs assistant GM Kyle Dubas is listed, though he’s a longshot. |
CLOSE A woman at the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office said police believe no one survived. Video provided by Newsy Newslook All 16 people aboard a hot air balloon died when it crashed in a field in central Texas on July 30, 2016. (Photo11: KVUE-TV) At least 16 people aboard a hot air balloon died Saturday when it apparently caught fire and crashed in a corn field in central Texas, in the deadliest such accident in the USA in decades. Caldwell County sheriff's deputies responding to a 911 call about an apparent vehicle accident instead found the burned basket portion of a hot air balloon, the sheriff's office said in a statement. The balloon crashed into farmland under a stretch of high-power electrical transmission lines in a field outside the town of Maxwell, about 30 miles south of Austin. Authorities did not immediately say what caused the crash. The accident occurred shortly after 7:40 a.m. local time, Lynn Lunsford with the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. Investigators with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were en route to the scene. The FBI office in San Antonio said Saturday afternoon that it would assist the NTSB in the investigation. Erik Grosof of the NTSB said at a news conference Saturday that a "significant" investigation will be conducted. He would not provide an exact number of dead, only saying there were a "number of fatalities" and a "significant loss of life." Earlier, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed 16 people were killed. The sheriff's office said at least 16 people were on board the balloon and it appeared there were no survivors. More federal officials will arrive to the scene Sunday, Grosof added. Local officials will release the names of the pilots and passengers in Saturday's crash in Texas after notifying relatives. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement to ask "all of Texas to join us in praying for those lost." Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides owned and operated the balloon, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The company's website says it services the Austin, San Antonio and Houston areas with up to 24 people allowed on a flight. Margaret Wylie, who lives about a quarter-mile from the crash site, told The Associated Press she was letting her dog out early Saturday when she heard a “pop, pop, pop.” She said she called 911. “I looked around and it was like a fireball going up,” she said, noting the fireball was located under large power lines. Fatal accidents like this are "very rare," said Dean Carlton, president of the 2,100 member Balloon Federation of America. “It’s been a pretty tough day for our community,” he said, adding hot air ballooning is “safe, fun entertainment." Between 1964 and 2013, the NTSB investigated 760 hot air balloon accidents in the U.S., of which 67 were fatal. Carlton said accidents typically occur due to a variety of factors, including wind, weather and crashing into power lines. The FAA regulates hot air balloons, which use propane gas to heat the air that rises into the balloon and lifts it, as it regulates any other aircraft. Hot air balloon pilots must be certified and the balloons must have an air worthiness certificate. The FAA inspects the balloons used for commercial ventures after 100 hours of flight time or at least once a year. Before Saturday, the deadliest air balloon accident in recent decades in the U.S. occurred in Aspen, Colo., in August 1993, when six people were killed when a balloon hit a power line, tearing off the basket and sending it plunging 100 feet to the ground. One of the deadliest air balloon disasters on record occurred in Luxor, Egypt, in February 2013 when a ballon caught fire and plunged 1,000 feet to the ground, crashing into a field and killing at least 19 foreign tourists. Fatalities have been rare in the U.S. in the past five years. In May 2014, three people died when the balloon they were on struck a power line and burst into flames during a landing attempt at a Caroline County, Va., festival. In March 2012, a balloon pilot died after his balloon was unable to climb over a fast-developing hail storm and crashed into the woods in Fitzgerald, Ga. The hot air balloon capital of the USA is Albuquerque, N.M., Carlton said, because it has the largest collection of pilots and a unique micro climate that’s dry most of the year, making it easy to fly in the morning. Contributing: Jefferson Graham Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2azPKMQ |
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