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Special Report: Pan Am Interview With Mayor Eisenberger: City Building and an East Mountain Stadium Whatever happened to Hamilton's goals of progressive development and urban revitalization? Mayor Fred Eisenberger talks about the sudden change in fortunes over the city's negotiations with the Ticats over a Pan Am Stadium location. By Ryan McGreal Published July 09, 2010 Last night I conducted a telephone interview with Mayor Fred Eisenberger over the sudden shift in momentum in the city's Pan Am Stadium plans from the already-chosen West Harbour location to a new East Mountain location on a provincially-owned parcel of land framed by the Red Hill Valley Parkway/Lincoln Alexander Parkway, Stone Church Road and the Mud Street interchange. At a late stage of the conciliation process between the City and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats over the location, Metrolinx and the Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC) proposed the new location. Facilitator Michael Fenn drew prominence to it in his report, and the Ticats immediately responded with a generous-sounding offer of $74 million, which actually turned out to be only $15 million in new money. With the exception of Councillor Brian McHattie, who dared to point out, "this is all about private interest trumping public interest," Council quickly fell in love with the new location, which promised a "driveway-to-driveway experience" for Ticat fans. This sudden change flies right in the face of the process up to now. Council and staff undertook a careful, two-year assessment with related traffic studies and public consultation, only to abandon it all literally overnight for a new location that violates every one of the city's objectives. The Mayor has long been a champion of the West Harbour location and the broader goal of urban revitalization, and this defeat is a pretty devastating blow. During the interview, the Mayor was diplomatic as usual, but it was impossible not to notice the deep frustration in his voice while we discussed the issue. Crumbling Resolve On April 13, the Mayor came out strongly in support of West Harbour, calling the Ticats "minority" partners and stating, "We can't let [the investors attracted by West Harbour] down by wavering on" the location. Then on May 6, he forcefully reconfirmed the city's goal of "building community" and "what's best for the people of Hamilton - today and into the future" by investing in the West Harbour. So what happened? How did this resolve crumble into the the negotiations that resulted in the East Mountain location? Mayor Fred explained: I've maintained and I still maintain my resolve that the West Harbour site is the best possible location. My hope in the facilitation process was that we'd dismiss the sites that weren't suitable and that the West Harbour would come out on top. All the research showed this, and I was hoping that the Tiger-Cats would come to understand the benefits of the West Harbour location for them. As for the benefits of our city building initiatives - we were led to believe they were important to the Ticats as well. He concluded, "That's just not where we ended up." Ticats Bargaining in Bad Faith? I shared my strong sense from reading the facilitator's report that the Ticats seemed flat-out unwilling to accept any of the city's arguments, no matter how much evidence the city put forth in their defence. I was thinking, for example, of this line from the report: "The parties disagreed on the ability of the West Harbour site to provide the appropriate level of local roadway access, despite the macro-level analysis provided by transportation consultants IBI Group indicating that the site could meet transportation demands." I suggested that for a mediation process to work, both participants have a responsibility not to be intransigent. He responded, "I don't disagree with that. It was a surprise to me that Bob Young was not going to play in the West Harbour in any way, shape or form. It was a real departure. In terms of where we ended up, Michael Fenn was left with trying to find a solution that tries to satisfy both sides. I think Michael Fenn's thinking is - and I wouldn't disagree with it - that the objective is to get a stadium landed and city building initiatives at the same time. He put forward a location that might have an opportunity for a stadium and some development around it, and the city building initiative on the West Harbour should be part of the arrangements that we put forward at the end of the day. Do I think the West Harbour site is the right site? I absolutely do. I continue to believe that, and I haven't seen any evidence to the contrary from a city building perspective. But the Ticats had different imperatives. Their vision was a singular destination for football, and they were very mindful of the sustainabilility of football over the long term, and the revenues that could be generated. They believed those revenues couldn't be generated at the West Harbour. Their imperatives are different from the city's imperatives. I don't think we should totally cave to the Ticats' imperatives, obviously. Remediation Money Given Michael Fenn's suggestion to grant the Ticats their stadium on the East Mountain and then proceed with acquiring and remediating the West Harbour location, I asked Eisenberger where the money for that remediation is supposed to come from. He responded: We're still working with two streams. We must continue to assess both streams, and be mindful of the possibility to make something good and solid from the West Harbour, having the ability to remediate at a standard that allows development. We should absolutely insist that this be part of the outcome. That actually lends us to the kind of development that might have been envisioned in [the] Setting Sail [neighbourhood plan for the North End]. There are some positives. It's not perfect in my eye, but I think there's still an opportunity to get some positives out of this scenario if we maintain our focus and commitment. He added that the Province and Pan Am HostCo need to share this goal. "We mirrored our goals on Places to Grow, and I'm going to speak long and hard to making sure that their commitment to those policies will be fulfilled." Did Council Get Played? If council had maintained its resolve, could it have called the Ticats' bluff? If Council have said, "We're going with the West Harbour and we're building a Pan Am stadium. If you want to participate, we'll help you make it work. If you refuse, then best of luck to you," would the Ticats have accepted West Harbour? He answered: That's what I would have done, but there are fifteen members of council who have different views, and people in the broader community who have different views. Frankly, I think we're going to hear more of the silent majority now who didn't say much because they thought the issue was in hand. They're going to voice their displeasure. But there's another part of the community, a vocal part, that believes in highways and car culture. I asked him flat out: did Council get played? The fact that we could never get a financial commitment from the Ticats from the get-go until just a few days ago tells me they were holding out to have influence at a late stage of the game. Whither the Province The Ontario Government has made it clear that rapid transit investment decisions are political and flow out of Queen's Park, not the Metrolinx board. If we're not willing to invest in revitalizing our own downtown, I asked, how can we expect the Province to invest in our downtown with light rail? He replied: I've got to tell you that the Province has been involved in all of this. I believe everything you say - progressive development means you interconnect developments, you do it in the inner city, you promote intensification and that's the philosophy I follow. I'm not happy we're moving in this direction. I think it's the wrong development that may suit the Ticats very well, but does not suit our city building needs. The Province needs to answer to why they would allow funding to flow to that use. I hearken back to the days when we brought in the PASO [Pan-Americano Sports Organization] team that came to Hamilton to look at our preferred location in the bid book. They came in by GO Train, and their comments were, 'Look how easily this is connected by public transit.' The province said, 'We're going to extend public transit to make this even more connected in the future.' That commitment made this site viable for the Province. The Province is well in the loop on this one. Clearly they're aware of the new direction. I've communicated with the Premier's office and other ministers, and the local ministers. They understand where I stand on the issue and where Council's preferred location has been. But something in the last couple of weeks has changed and the Province is aware of it. Adding Up the Numbers I asked: after taxpayers have to pay for all the necessary upgrades for the new location - including potentially a new highway interchange - how much will the Ticats' $15 million deal-sweetener really be worth? He said: My fear now is that we won't do the proper assessments on the new location in time to make the decision - that we'll take the Ticats' numbers at face value. From what I've seen, it doesn't tell me they're putting in enough to make the stadium hold 25,000 plus [seats]. There must be no more than $60 million on the table from the City of Hamilton. If the city benefits aren't there at the ORC lands, there ought to be a declining commitment from the city so we can reserve some funds for the West Harbour. Changing Council's Mind I finally asked: Is there still a possibility of changing Council's mind before the August 10 vote? Eisenberger said: I can't answer that question. The community needs to speak up. I've been saying this for some time: people need to state their views of what they think progressive development is, the value of a stadium on the harbourfront, that it's the right thing to do. Sadly, we haven't heard this until now. We've heard from Ticats fans that a highway location is better. We did some community engagement on the West Harbour site but there hasn't been community engagement on the ORC lands. I'd always prefer to have more time. I think it's unfortunate that all of this has ben left by the Ticats to the very end. We would have been better served, if they had this view, that they would have said this earlier on in the process. They were involved the whole way up and never once stated any concerns about the location of the West Harbour as a place where they would not play. Things evolved after that, I guess. He concluded: Progressive cities don't put stadiums on highways. They interconnect them to the inner city. They understand that intensification and vibrant inner cities are not only good for the tax base, but also for the vibrancy of the city, and for creating an entertainment district that invigorates a neighbourhod that needs a lift and provides more value to the waterfront. I don't see that from ORC. Ryan McGreal, the editor of Raise the Hammer, lives in Hamilton with his family and works as a programmer, writer and consultant. Ryan volunteers with Hamilton Light Rail, a citizen group dedicated to bringing light rail transit to Hamilton. Ryan writes a city affairs column in Hamilton Magazine, and several of his articles have been published in the Hamilton Spectator. He also maintains a personal website, has been known to share passing thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, and posts the occasional cat photo on Instagram. 52 Comments Read Comments Post a Comment You must be logged in to comment. |
Guy Martin’s Spitfire Reading time: about 1 minute. British Films Military Planes Guy Martin’s Spitfire is a British documentary about the recovery and rebuild of a rare MK1 Spitfire from the French beach where it was crash landed in 1940 by RAF pilot Squadron Leader Geoffrey Stephenson. The Spitfire had slowly been buried under generations of beach sand so the recovery operation took weeks of digging and months of painstakingly cataloging the parts. This is the story of its revival presented by well-known British motorcycle racer Guy Martin – who also rolls up his sleeves and assists with the restoration. Almost all of the original parts were beyond saving due to their decades in the salty sand, so the engineers used them as a blueprint to ensure the plane is indistinguishable from the one flown by Stephenson in the early days of the Second World War. If you’d like to read more about the Spitfire you can click here to visit the RAF archives, or here to visit Military History Monthly. Alternatively, you can click here to read our recent article on a barn find Spitfire that was discovered in the USA. |
Leon Neal / AFP / Getty Images Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has warned that Jeremy Corbyn's election has left Britain without a "strong, electable, credible opposition" to the Conservatives. He vowed to seize the "opportunities" created by Corbyn's landslide victory in Labour's leadership contest, saying: "I'm going to grab 'em." In his first interview since Corbyn's win on Saturday, Farron also declared that the Lib Dems could soon be the only political party arguing for Britain staying in the European Union. But he said he wasn't expecting any defections from Labour or a full-blown 1980s-style split any time soon. "Obviously the developments worry me because I think it weakens the opposition to the Conservatives and we need to have a stronger opposition," he told BuzzFeed News. "Healthy democracy needs a good, strong, electable, credible opposition with a separate and distinct vision that can buy in from a very large section of the population – and it would appear that Labour isn't that now. I want us to be that. "I think there is clearly a very big space in British politics for a party that is progressive, that is moderate, that is responsible, that is electable, and that is liberal – and that's us. So, yeah, I'm aware of the opportunities we now have and I'm going to grab 'em." Dan Kitwood / Getty Images Corbynmania has seen tens of thousands of people flock to the Labour party this summer – with more than 30,000 signing up since Corbyn's election last Saturday. Many are young people inspired by the Islington North MP's anti-austerity message and his promise to do politics differently. But the Lib Dems have also seen a surge in membership, albeit on a much smaller scale, since they were crushed in May's general election and booted out of coalition. The party has attracted 19,000 new members and next week's party conference in Bournemouth is expected to be far busier than last year's. The party was left with just eight MPs in parliament after five years in coalition with the Conservatives. But the slogan "Lib Dem Fightback" will be splashed around the conference venue as the party seeks to win over new voters in the centre ground. Britain's lack of affordable housing will dominate proceedings next week, with the party attacking the government over a "lack of courage" in building new homes. Farron cast doubt on the motives of all Labour's new members. "The Corbyn situation is a phenomenon and it's not something people should dismiss out of hand," he said. "But I think the Labour party's big increase in membership over the last few months comes from various places. "I bumped into people on the refugee march who are basically Socialist Workers, who are no friends of the Labour party, and we all know Tory party members who joined the party to vote for Corbyn. "Our membership increase – which has been also very significant and in many ways all the more surprising given what happened on 7 May – what's wonderful about it is these are the most enthusiastic people you can imagine. They don't think everything we did in government was right but that we did right by the country in going into government." Leon Neal / AFP / Getty Images Farron takes part in a human rights protest in London in May. Farron said he didn't know Corbyn well but remembers voting with him against the former Labour government when the Lib Dems were in opposition. "I occasionally expressed the briefest words of sympathy to him when he was being shouted at by his whips," he said. One of these whips, back in 2004-05, was Tom Watson – now deputy leader of Labour. "I certainly have an impression of Tom Watson as a whip, stood on the opposition lobby door, menacing any Labour rebel who might think to go through it," Farron said. "I can't in all honesty say I remember him trying to intimidate Jeremy Corbyn to not go through our lobby but I'm sure it happened." Farron, who was elected Lib Dem leader in July, said he had already noticed a change in Corbyn's appearance after just a few days in office. "I had a quick word with him to congratulate him and I've noticed how his suits have got darker and more fashionable," he said. "Mind you, I got told to sort myself out, but I wasn't wearing 30-year-old geography teacher's jackets." He insisted it was "far too soon" to talk about Labour splitting into two separate parties. Back in the early 1980s, four moderate MPs who were fed up with left-winger Michael Foot's leadership formed the Social Democratic Party – which ultimately led to the creation of the Liberal Democrats. He also dismissed questions about potential defections from Labour. "That's not something I'm wanting to talk about particularly, that's an internal matter for them," he said. Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images Farron at last year's party conference. But Farron warned that the Tory government "desperately needs to be held to account" over changes to benefits, free school meals, human rights, and environmental issues. He accused David Cameron of "cocking up" the refugee crisis and putting the UK's relations with its European neighbours at risk so that "our chances of leaving are that much greater". Pointing to Corbyn's wavering position on Europe ahead of an in-out referendum on Britain's membership, he warned: "We may find ourselves in a situation where we're the only party that in a coherent way argues for Britain's interests remaining in the European Union. "It would be the most idiotic act of harakiri if we were to leave the EU and yet you've got the leaders of the two largest parties in the country now toying with it. Much has been said about patriotism over the last 24 hours – I don't really care whether anyone sings the national anthem or not but I do care whether they crash our future in Europe." Farron said he often talked to his predecessor Nick Clegg and it was "utterly understandable" why he didn't want an official party role. "It's perfectly normal that the immediate past leader doesn't go on and serve in a frontbench capacity," he said. "Having said that, I was with him last night, I see him regularly, and he's been a great source of advice." Twitter |
Vancouver city council will vote next week on regulations that would legalize some short-term rentals — only in principal residences — in a move similar to steps proposed by Toronto. Mayor Gregor Robertson announced the city's proposed regulations at a news conference Wednesday, saying they take a "balanced" approach that addresses the city's low rental vacancy rate while still allowing residents to make some extra income. "Our bottom line continues to be that our housing is for homes first," the mayor said. If approved, the regulations wouldn't come into effect until April 2018. Under the proposal, which sticks closely to preliminary plans announced last year, homeowners and renters would only be allowed to list their primary residences on sites like Airbnb for a licensing fee of $49 each year. Vancouver residents would not be permitted to apply for licences to list secondary suites like basement apartments or laneway homes, or second homes. Robertson estimated that 70 per cent of short-term listings in the city would still be allowed under the new rules. About 1,000 listings would be taken off the market, according to the city. "Between this action on short-term rentals and the empty home tax … we expect to see some immediate relief," Robertson said. Vancouver's annual empty home tax, which goes into effect this year, applies a levy of one per cent of a home's assessed value if the property is not being lived in on a long-term basis. Vancouver had a rental vacancy rate of just 0.8 per cent last year. Meanwhile, the city said it recently found 5,927 units listed on short-term rental sites, up 10 per cent from June 2016. 'Vancouver's largest hotel' Airbnb is the largest short-term rental platform in Vancouver, the mayor said. The city estimates about 90 per cent of short-term rental activity happens on Airbnb and Expedia. "Short-term rentals now make up 30 per cent of Vancouver's accommodations for tourists," Robertson said. "Airbnb is effectively Vancouver's largest hotel." The mayor applauded the American sharing economy giant for co-operating with staff over the last few months, something he said was not true of many other companies in the industry. Meanwhile, executives at Airbnb said they are currently reviewing the city's proposal. "We continue to recommend fair, easy-to-follow rules that support our responsible host community," public policy manager Alex Dagg said in a written statement. Vancouver's new rules would require that anyone operating a short-term rental list the licence number in online advertisements. The city also wants platform operators like Airbnb to pay Vancouver up to three per cent in transaction fees, while also paying existing federal and provincial taxes. Cities across the country have been struggling to deal with the surging popularity of short-term rentals amid an increasingly tight housing market. Last month, Toronto released recommendations for regulating the industry that closely resemble the Vancouver model. Will rules protect low-income renters? Speaking with CBC Radio's On The Coast guest host Gloria Macarenko, Karen Sawatzky, head of the city's Renter's Advisory Committee, said the proposed rules get some things right, but she has concerns about allowing people to list rooms within their homes for short-term stays. She said that could hurt low-income people who can't afford to rent their own apartment or house but could afford to rent a room in a house. "Young people can't afford to move out of their parents' basement," she said. "Shared housing is a very important housing resource." She wants the city to keep track of how many of these rooms within homes become short-term rentals to see how that ultimately affects rental supply. She also questions whether the $49 annual fee will be enough to cover the costs of enforcing the new rules. |
Nasa’s New Horizon’s spacecraft has sent back the first close images of Pluto ever (Picture: EPA/NASA) Pluto was handed its marching papers nine years ago today, when astronomers voted to demote the former ninth planet of the solar system to a dwarf planet. On that day everything children thought they knew about the solar system was dashed, scissors were taken to thousands of classroom maps of the stars and well-learned mnemonics were rewritten. Many astronomers said at the time that it was a triumph of science over sentiment. But if Pluto is more than just a dwarf in your sky, here are 13 amazing facts about the little guy that will blow your mind: 1. When Pluto was discovered in 1930 at the Lowell Observatory, astronomers received suggestions from around the world about what to name it. The moniker Pluto was put forward by Venetia Burney, an 11-year-old girl from Oxford, who thought the god of the underworld in Greek mythology would be a fitting name for the shadowy and distant planet. Advertisement Advertisement Members of the Lowell Observatory could vote on a shortlist of three names. These were Venetia’s suggestion, Minerva (which was already the name for an asteroid) and Cronus, which had been put forward by an astronomer no one liked very much. Venetia earned £5 for her winning entry, around £300 in today’s money. 2. Like Prince, Pluto also has a symbol. The PL monogram is not only the first two letters in the dwarf planet’s name, it is also the initials of Percival Lowell, the American astronomer who first predicted that Pluto existed. The Lowell Observatory was also named after him following his theory that a planet would be found in the outer reaches of the solar system because of an unseen gravitational influence on Neptune and Uranus. 3. However, officially, after Pluto’s demotion the former planet is now simply called asteroid number 134340. New Horizons passes Pluto and its largest moon, Charon (Picture: EPA/NASA/APL/SWRI) 4. Although Pluto was thought to be a planet for 76 years, it is actually only the second most massive of the dwarf planets in the solar system. Nearby Eris is 27 per cent more massive, although Pluto has greater volume. It was the discovery of Eris in 2005 that led astronomers to redefine what a planet was, causing Pluto to lose its status the following year. 5. Pluto has five moons, of which Charon is the largest. Charon’s diameter is over half that of Pluto’s and they are sometimes considered a binary system because their orbits interact with each other. Advertisement Advertisement The other moons are smaller and are called Styx, Nix, Kerberos and Hydra. 6. The dwarf planet is the only one known to have an atmosphere, consisting of nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide. It would be toxic for humans to breathe and changes depending on how far Pluto is from the sun. When its elliptical orbit brings it closer to the sun (perihelion), the atmosphere is gas, but when it travels to the furthest point (aphelion), the gas in the atmosphere freezes and falls like snow. 7. This orbit is so eccentric that at times Pluto is closer to the sun than Neptune. It was last ‘inside’ Neptune’s orbit in 1999. 8. Pluto has a subsurface ocean of frozen water which is between 100 and 180 kilometres deep. This means that there is three times more water on the dwarf planet than in all of Earth’s ocean’s combined. Its remaining two-thirds are made up of a dense core of rock, with a surface of frozen nitrogen. New Horizons managed to send back detailed images of Pluto’s mountains on the surface (Picture: NASA/AP) 9. Like Venus and Uranus, Pluto has a retrograde rotation, which means it spins in a different direction to Earth. This rotation means the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. It does one full rotation every week. 10. It takes about five and a half hours for sunlight to reach Pluto, on average. This compares to the eight minutes it takes rays to reach us on Earth. Advertisement 11. This is because Pluto is on average 5.9 billion kilometers (3.6 billion miles) from the sun, compared to our 149.6 million km. Looking at Pluto from Earth is like trying to see a walnut from 30 miles away. 12. The year that Pluto was demoted, the American Dialect Society voted ‘plutoed’ as its word of the year. They defined it as ‘to demote or devalue someone or something’. 13. The man who discovered Pluto is about to be the first person whose remains will be sent outside the solar system, on board Nasa’s New Horizons space craft. Clyde Tombaugh’s ashes were placed in a casket on the probe which flew past the dwarf planet six weeks ago, and sent back incredible pictures to Earth. It is now carrying on its journey through the Kuiper Belt and out into interstellar space in hope of making contact with life outside the Solar System. The container holding the eminent astronomer’s ashes bears the inscription: ‘Interred herein are remains of American Clyde W. Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto and the solar system’s ‘third zone’. Adelle and Muron’s boy, Patricia’s husband, Annette and Alden’s father, astronomer, teacher, punster, and friend: Clyde W. Tombaugh (1906-1997)’. MORE: Pluto is ‘actually a huge spacecraft, like the Death Star’ – and here’s the proof MORE: Yes, Pluto ‘has flowing ICE’ on its surface |
“It’s only the tip of the iceberg. A grand geopolitical project is beginning to materialize…” On June 6 2014, the official Russian news agency Itar Tass announced what many were expecting since at least the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis: Russian main energy company, Gazprom Neft has finally “signed agreements with its consumers” to switch from Dollars to Euros (as transition to the ruble) “for payments under contracts”. The announcement that the agreement has been actually signed and not just discussed was made by Gazprom’s Chief Executive Officer, Alexander Dyukov. Despite the pressures from Wall Street and its military, propaganda and political apparatus, 9 out of 10 consumers of Gazprom’s oil and gas agreed to pay in Euros. Of course, the big watershed was the Gazprom unprecedented 30-years $400Bl natural gas supply to China signed in Shanghai last May 21 in the presence of President Putin and President Xi Jinping in the middle of the Anglo-american sponsored violent destabilization of Ukraine. In fact it is improper to talk a dollar denominated $400Bl, because this “biggest deal” will not be using dollars but the Renminbi (or Yuan) and the Russian Ruble. It links China and Russia economically and strategically for three decades, de facto (and maybe later also de jure) creating an unshakable symbiotic alliance that necessarily will involve the military aspect. The Russia-China agreement is a clear defeat of the obsessive geopolitical attempts by Wall Street to keep the two country in a situation of competition or, ideally, war-like confrontation. It changes the structure of alliances. It strikes at the historical foundations of British colonial geopolitics (Divide and Rule). Under escalating pressures and threats to their national security, Russia and China overcame brilliantly historical, ideological, cultural differences which had previously been been by the colonial powers (and their financial heirs in Wall Street and the London’s city) for their “Divide & Conquer” strategy. Furthermore, to the horror of London and Washington, China and Russia concluded an agreement with India (the BRICS!) breaking the other holy tenet of British colonial geopolitics: The secret to controlling Asia, and thus Eurasia has always been to instigate a perennial rivalry between India, China, and Russia. This was the formula for the 19th century “Great Game”. This was why Obama was selected to succeed George W Bush. The then vice Presidential candidate Joseph Biden announced it very openly on Aug 27 2008 at the Democratic Convention in Denver, explaining why the Obama-Biden duo had been chosen to take over the White House. The greatest mistake of the Bush administration and the Republicans, he said, was not their atrocious unchained warmongering, but their failure “to face the biggest forces shaping this century. The emergence of Russia, China and India’s great powers”. Zbigniew Brzezinski’s protégé Barack Obama was to defeat this “threat”. Obviously they failed! But this explains the dogged, irrational, King Canute-style self-destructive arrogance that has taken over the present Administration. The significance of these developments should be emphasized in relation to both the real economy and the underlying financial structures. These developments in Eurasia are likely to have weaken on “the chains that have tied the European Union to Wall Street and the City of London”. The end of the dollar payment system (Aka Petro-dollar) does not concern the currency of the United States or the United States as such. In fact overcoming this system could mean the restoration of a rational and prosperous economy in the United States itself. What is known as “dollar system” has been just an instrument of feudal financial centers to loot the economy of the world. These centers are ready to do anything to save their right to loot. It is well known that whoever tried, until now, to create an alternative to the dollar system, met a ferocious reaction. It is fitting to remember in this moment of great hope, the words of one of the very few great living strategists, Gen. Leonid Ivashov. On June 15 2011, reflecting on the savage destruction of Libya, the general who is an unofficial spokesman of the Russian armed forces and has been Russia’s representative in NATO, wrote “BRICS and the Mission of Reconfiguring the World.” Whoever challenges the dollar hegemony, explained Ivashov, becomes a target. He gave precise examples: Iraq, Libya, Iran: “the countries which defied dollar dominance invariably came under heavy pressure and in a number of cases – under devastating attacks.” But the “the financial empires built by Rothschilds and Rockefellers are powerless against the five largest civilizations represented by the BRICS.” Thus, Ivashov advocated a coordinated strategy by countries representing half of the world population to win their independence using their own currency. “The shift to national currencies in the financial transactions between the BRICS countries should guarantee an unprecedented level of their independence…” Since the collapse of the USSR, the countries which defied dollar dominance invariably came under heavy pressure and in a number of cases – under devastating attacks. Saddam Hussein –who banned dollar circulation in all spheres of Iraq’s economy including oil trade– was displaced and executed and his country was left in ruins. M. Gaddafi started switching Libya’s oil and gas business to gold-backed Arab currencies and air raids against the country followed almost immediately… Tehran had to put its plan to stay dollar-free on hold to avoid falling victim to aggression. Still, even enjoying unlimited US support, the financial empires built by the Rothschilds and Rockefellers are powerless against the five largest civilizations represented by countries accounting for nearly half of the world’s population. BRICS is clearly immune to forceful pressure, its member countries do not appear vulnerable to color revolutions, and the strategy of provoking and exporting financial crises may easily backfire. In contrast to the US and the EU, BRICS countries altogether own natural resources sufficient not only to keep their economies afloat in the settings of contracting availability of hydrocarbon fuels, food, potable water, and electric power but also to sustain vigorous economic growth. The shift to national currencies in the financial transactions between the BRICS countries should guarantee an unprecedented level of their independence from the US and from the West in general, but even that is only the tip of the iceberg. A grand geopolitical project is beginning to materialize Now it’s the moment for Europe to decide the big step. The Ukrainian crisis is in reality a Battle for Europe. The elites of Continental Europe — The Germany of Alfred Herrausen, the France of Charles De Gaulle, the Italy of Enrico Mattei and Aldo Moro, the Europe that tried to road of sovereignty and independence … have been until now terrorized and threatened exactly in the terms explained by Gen Ivashov. Now the Battle for Europe is raging. We will look in a coming article at the great European forces, the silent partners, still traumatized and scared, who are looking with trepidation and painful memories of the past defeats at the firm stand of Russia. |
David Zalubowski/Associated Press At this time, Peyton Manning has not confirmed that he will return to the Denver Broncos for another season in 2015. While all signs point to him returning for one—perhaps final—run, this question mark has the Broncos (and Broncos fans) thinking about life without Manning. The next quarterback behind Manning on the depth chart is Brock Osweiler. A second-round pick for the Broncos in the 2012 NFL draft, Osweiler has been patiently waiting and developing as a reserve player behind Manning. Can Brock Osweiler be the Denver Broncos' heir to Manning? Let’s take a look. Struggles and Improvements David Zalubowski/Associated Press During his time with the Broncos, I have been watching Osweiler closely during rookie minicamp, minicamp/OTAs, training camp and the preseason. When Osweiler was a rookie, his raw tools were evident. He’s tall, athletic and has a rocket arm. At that time, Osweiler still had a poor throwing motion and low release point. His footwork was also poor because when he wasn’t running, he would throw flat-footed. The Broncos worked diligently to improve Osweiler in these areas. His second year showed better mechanics both with his arm and his feet. Entering last year’s minicamp, I was excited to see what kind of improvement Osweiler had made. Instead, I saw a player that slightly regressed. Osweiler’s passes were coming in hot and without touch. He also stumbled on a dropback more than once, and generally he seemed a bit uncomfortable. Talking to him after practice one day in training camp, I found out why he struggled during minicamp. Osweiler was working with the full playbook for the first time last year, and his head was swimming. With minicamp under his belt, Osweiler started to show off in training camp. There were several throws he made in August that were of starter’s caliber. Osweiler has a rocket arm, and he can fit passes into windows other quarterbacks can only dream of throwing into. In addition to his powerful arm, Osweiler showed a willingness to challenge the defense deep. Some of his best throws in camp came to streaking receivers down the sideline. He also had a penchant for throwing touchdown passes during practice frequently, mainly to guys like Bennie Fowler, Cody Latimer and Gerell Robinson. I have been impressed by the improvements Osweiler has made to his game behind the scenes. Gone are the poor footwork and low release point. He’s lighter on his feet when throwing in the pocket, and this helps him get away quickly if the rush is on him. Osweiler is also throwing with a proper motion, making it even more difficult for defenders to bat down his passes. Joe Flacco Jr. Wesley Hitt/Getty Images Pro comparisons are tough to come by when you’re a 6’7” quarterback. One player Osweiler often gets compared to is 6’6” Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. It’s a fitting comparison because like Flacco, Osweiler is tall and has an incredibly strong arm. Under Gary Kubiak (then Ravens offensive coordinator) in 2014, Flacco had arguably the best season of his career. He finished with a career-best 27 touchdown passes and a career-high 3,986 passing yards. Looking at what Flacco did, it’s easy to imagine how Kubiak’s offense could work with Osweiler. Kubiak could use a bootleg-heavy scheme to keep defenses on their toes when facing Osweiler. Potential Competition Ethan Miller/Getty Images The Broncos are likely to add a quarterback to the mix at some point this offseason. Zac Dysert, a seventh-round pick in 2013, spent his rookie season on the active roster as the third quarterback. Last year, Dysert failed to make the final roster, but he was cut and then placed on the team’s practice squad. Like Osweiler, Dysert has a strong arm and is known as a player who can scramble and throw on the run. Unlike Osweiler, Dysert has struggled to impress during minicamp or training camp. Dysert will look great on a few throws here and there, but largely he’s too inconsistent to be relied on as anything more than a clipboard-holder. Don’t be shocked if Denver selects a quarterback at some point in the 2015 NFL draft. Players who could be of interest to the Broncos include Baylor’s Bryce Petty and Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson. Petty worked out of the shotgun during his college career in a pass-happy system. He struggled at the 2015 Reese’s Senior Bowl with taking snaps under center and merely calling plays. Petty has a strong work ethic and has the physical tools to perhaps develop into a good starter in the NFL. Grayson worked in a pro-style system with the Rams. He had the ability to call audibles at the line of scrimmage, but he could also call plays in the huddle and work from under center or in the shotgun. Grayson put up better stats than Petty in 2014, and he arguably had the best performance of any quarterback at the Senior Bowl earlier this year. Sam Greenwood/Getty Images The free-agent crop of quarterbacks this offseason doesn’t look that strong, but it also wouldn’t shock me to see the Broncos add a player from the group. A player like T.J. Yates could make sense for the Broncos. Yates worked under Kubiak before when the two were with the Houston Texans. In 2012, Yates won a playoff game for the Texans as they beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card Round. He’s got more experience than Osweiler, and Yates already knows the system. Summary The Broncos have a real asset in Osweiler. He’s been patiently waiting for his opportunity, and that time may come soon. They have put a lot of time into Osweiler over the past three seasons. The Broncos may not want to wash away that precious time and move on to a different quarterback in 2016—if Manning is done. Osweiler likely wants the chance to prove himself, but the Broncos should approach him about a contract extension. Manning’s contract runs through the 2016 season, and Osweiler is entering the final year of his contract in 2015. He may not want to wait too much longer, but the Broncos might be able to convince him to stay around in order to get his shot. Adding Osweiler was not a wasted draft pick—even if he never plays significant snaps for the Broncos. When he was drafted, nobody had any idea if Manning could really come back from a fused neck that required multiple surgeries. Nobody saw 55 touchdown passes coming in 2013, or any of the other record-setting performances that Manning has had during his time with the Broncos. Denver needed insurance at the position in case Manning’s best days were behind him. That insurance policy is going to be really helpful now that Manning looks like he might have one year left as a pro. With all of the time invested, Osweiler not only could be the heir to Manning—he SHOULD be. All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos' media department unless otherwise noted. Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac. Transaction history provided by Pro Sports Transactions. |
The data structure is extremely simple: a bounded FIFO. One step up from plain arrays, but still, it’s very basic stuff. And if you’re doing system programming, particularly anything involving IO or directly talking to hardware (boils down to the same thing really), it’s absolutely everywhere. It’s also very useful to communicate between different threads. I have some notes on the topic than aren’t immediately obvious, so it’s time to write them up. I’m only going to talk about the single producer, single consumer (SPSC) case since that’s what you usually have when you’re dealing with hardware. The producer produces commands/objects/whatever in some way and appends them to the queue. The consumer pops an item from the start and does its work. If the queue is full, the producer has to wait; if it’s empty, the consumer has to wait. As programmer feeding hardware (or being fed from hardware), you’re generally trying to reach a steady state that does neither. The actual data structure always looks something like this: struct FIFO { ElemType Elem[SIZE]; uint ReadPos; uint WritePos; }; In hardware, the elements are stored in some block of memory somewhere, and ReadPos / WritePos usually come in the form of memory-mapped registers. In software, you normally use a slightly different layout (put one pointer before the array and the other after it and make sure it’s all in different cache lines to avoid false sharing). You can find details on this elsewhere; I’m gonna be focusing on a different, more conceptual issue. What Elem means is not really up to interpretation; it’s an array, just a block of memory where you drop your data/commands/whatever at the right position. ReadPos / WritePos have a bit more room for interpretation; there are two common models with slightly different tradeoffs. Model 1: Just array indices (or pointers) This is what you normally have when talking to hardware. In this model, the two positions are just array indices. When adding an element, you first write the new element to memory via Elem[WritePos] = x; and then compute the next write position as WritePos = (WritePos + 1) % SIZE; ; reading is analogous. If ReadPos == WritePos , the queue is empty. Otherwise, the queue currently has WritePos - ReadPos elements in it if WritePos > ReadPos , and WritePos + SIZE - ReadPos elements if WritePos < ReadPos . There’s an ambiguous case though: if we fill up the queue completely, we end up with ReadPos == WritePos , which is then interpreted as an empty queue. (Storing WritePos - 1 doesn’t solve this; now the “queue empty” case becomes tricky). There’s a simple solution though: Don’t do that. Seriously. When adding elements to the queue, block when it contains SIZE - 1 elements. What you definitely shouldn’t do is get fancy and use special encodings for an empty (or full) queue and riddle the code with ifs. I’ve seen this a couple times, and it’s bad. It makes “lock-free” implementations hard, and when dealing with hardware, you usually have no locks. If you use this method, just live with the very slight memory waste. Model 2: Virtual stream The intuition here is that you’re not giving the actual position in the ring buffer, but the “distance travelled” from the start. So if you’ve wrapped around the ring buffer twice, your current WritePos would be 2*SIZE , not 0 . This is just a slight change, but with important consequences: writing elements is Elem[WritePos % SIZE] = x; and updating the index is WritePos++; (and analogous for ReadPos ). In other words, you delay the reduction modulo SIZE . For this to be efficient, you normally want to pick a power of 2 for SIZE ; this makes the wrapping computation cheap and will automatically do the right thing if one of the positions ever overflows. This leads to very straightforward, efficient code. The number of items in the queue is WritePos - ReadPos ; no case distinction, unsigned arithmetic does the right thing. No trouble with the last element either (if the queue is full, then WritePos == ReadPos + SIZE – no problem!). With non-pow2 SIZE, you still need to do some amount of modulo reduction on increment – always modulo N*SIZE , where N is some constant >1 (if you use 1, you end up with Method 1). This is more work than for method 1, so it seems like a waste. But it’s not quite that simple. Virtual streams are a useful model! One advantage of virtual streams is it’s usually easier to state (and check) invariants using this model; for example, if you’re streaming data from a file (and I mean streaming in the original sense of the word, i.e. reading some amount of data sequentially and piece by piece without skipping around), it’s very convenient to use file offsets for the two pointers. This leads to very readable, straightforward logic: the two invariants for your streaming buffer are WritePos >= ReadPos and WritePos - ReadPos <= SIZE , and one of them ( WritePos – you’d pick a different name in this case) is just the current file pointer which you need to dispatch the next async read. No redundant variables, no risk of them getting out of sync. As a bonus, if you align your destination buffer address to whatever alignment requirement async reads have, it also means you can DMA data directly from the drive to your streaming buffer without any copying (the lowest bits of the file pointer and the target address need to match for this to work, and you get that almost for free out of this scheme). This scheme is particularly useful for sound playback, where the “consumer” (the audio HW) keeps reading data whether you’re ready or not. Of course you try to produce data fast enough, but sometimes you may be too late and the audio HW forges ahead. In that case, you want to know how far ahead it got (at least if you’re trying to keep audio and video in sync). With a “virtual stream” type API, you have a counter for the total number of samples (or blocks, or whatever) played and can immediately answer this question. Annoyingly, almost all sound APIs only give you the current read position mod the ring buffer size, so you don’t have this information. This usually leads to a little song and dance routine in low-level sound code where you query a timer every time you ask for the current read position. Next time, you look at the time difference; if it’s longer than the total length of the ring buffer in ms minus some fudge factor, you use the secondary timer to estimate how many ms you skipped, otherwise you can use the read pointer to determine how big the skip was. It’s not a big deal, but it is annoying, especially since it’s purely an API issue – the sound driver actually knows how many samples were played, even though the HW usually uses method 1, since the driver gets an interrupt whenever the audio HW is done playing a block. This is enough to disambiguate the ring buffer position. But for some reason most audio APIs don’t give you this information, so you have to guess – argh! This is a general pattern: If you have some type of separate feedback channel, the regular ring buffer semantics are fine. But when the FIFO is really the only means of communication, the virtual stream model is more expressive and hence preferable. Particularly with pow2 sizes, where everything just works out automagically without any extra work. Finally, a nice bonus on PowerPC-based platforms is that address generation for the array access can be done with a single rlwinm instruction if SIZE and sizeof(ElemType) are both powers of 2. This is even less work than the regular mod-after-increment variant! |
Oliver Twist is a 1948 British film and the second of David Lean's two film adaptations of Charles Dickens novels. Following the success of his 1946 version of Great Expectations, Lean re-assembled much of the same team for his adaptation of Dickens' 1838 novel, including producers Ronald Neame and Anthony Havelock-Allan, cinematographer Guy Green, designer John Bryan and editor Jack Harris. Lean's then-wife, Kay Walsh, who had collaborated on the screenplay for Great Expectations, played the role of Nancy. John Howard Davies was cast as Oliver, while Alec Guinness portrayed Fagin and Robert Newton played Bill Sikes. In 1999, the British Film Institute placed it at 46th in its list of the top 100 British films. In 2005 it was named in the BFI list of the 50 films you should see by the age of 14. Plot [ edit ] A young woman in labour makes her way to a parish workhouse and dies after giving birth to a boy, who is systematically named Oliver Twist (John Howard Davies) by the workhouse authorities. As the years go by, Oliver and the rest of the child inmates suffer from the callous indifference of the officials in charge: beadle Mr. Bumble (Francis L. Sullivan) and matron Mrs. Corney (Mary Clare). At the age of nine, the hungry children draw straws; Oliver loses and has to ask for a second helping of gruel ("Please sir, I want some more"). For his impudence, he is promptly apprenticed to the undertaker Mr. Sowerberry (Gibb McLaughlin), from whom he receives somewhat better treatment. However, when another worker, Noah, maligns his dead mother, Oliver flies into a rage and attacks him, earning the orphan a whipping. Oliver runs away to London. The Artful Dodger (Anthony Newley), a skilled young pickpocket, notices him and takes him to Fagin (Alec Guinness), an old Jew who trains children to be pickpockets. Fagin sends Oliver to watch and learn as the Dodger and another boy try to rob Mr. Brownlow (Henry Stephenson), a rich, elderly gentleman. Their attempt is detected, but it is Oliver who is chased through the streets by a mob and arrested. A witness clears him. Mr. Brownlow takes a liking to the boy, and gives him a home. Oliver experiences the kind of happy life he has never had before, under the care of Mr. Brownlow and the loving housekeeper, Mrs. Bedwin (Amy Veness). Meanwhile, Fagin is visited by the mysterious Monks (Ralph Truman), who has a strong interest in Oliver. He sends Monks to Bumble and Mrs. Corney (now Bumble's domineering wife); Monks buys from them the only thing that can identify Oliver's parentage, a locket containing his mother's portrait. By chance, Fagin's associate, the vicious Bill Sykes (Robert Newton), and Sykes' kind-hearted prostitute girlfriend (and former Fagin pupil) Nancy (Kay Walsh) run into Oliver on the street and forcibly take him back to Fagin. Nancy feels pangs of guilt and, seeing a poster in which Mr. Brownlow offers a reward for Oliver's return, contacts the gentleman and promises to deliver Oliver the next day. The suspicious Fagin, however, has had the Dodger follow her. When Fagin informs Sykes, the latter becomes enraged and murders her, mistakenly believing that she has betrayed him. The killing brings down the wrath of the public on the gang — particularly Sykes who attempts to make his escape by taking Oliver hostage. Clambering over the rooftops, and with climbing rope hung around his neck, Sykes is shot by one of the mob and is accidentally hanged as he loses his footing. Mr. Brownlow and the authorities rescue Oliver. Fagin and his other associates are rounded up. Monks' part in the proceedings is discovered, and he is arrested. He was trying to ensure his inheritance; Oliver, it turns out, is Mr. Brownlow's grandson. For their involvement in Monks' scheme, Mr. and Mrs. Bumble lose their jobs at the workhouse. Oliver is happily reunited with his newly found grandfather and Mrs. Bedwin, his search for love ending in fulfilment. Cast [ edit ] Controversy [ edit ] Cruikshank – Fagin in the condemned Cell Alec Guinness's portrayal of Fagin and his make-up was considered anti-semitic by some as it was felt to perpetuate Jewish racial stereotypes.[2] Guinness wore heavy make-up, including a large prosthetic nose, to make him look like the character as he appeared in George Cruikshank's illustrations in the first edition of the novel. At the start of production, the Production Code Administration had advised David Lean to "bear in mind the advisability of omitting from the portrayal of Fagin any elements or inference that would be offensive to any specific racial group or religion."[3] Lean commissioned the make-up artist Stuart Freeborn to create Fagin's features; Freeborn (himself part-Jewish) had suggested to David Lean that Fagin's exaggerated profile should be toned down for fear of causing offence, but Lean rejected this idea. In a screen test featuring Guinness in toned-down make-up, Fagin was said to resemble Jesus Christ.[4] On this basis, Lean decided to continue filming with a faithful reproduction of Cruikshank's Fagin, pointing out that Fagin was not explicitly identified as Jewish in the screenplay.[5] The March 1949 release of the film in Germany was met with protests outside the Kurbel Cinema by Jewish objectors. The Mayor of Berlin, Ernst Reuter, was a signatory to their petition which called for the withdrawal of the film. The depiction of Fagin was considered especially problematic in the recent aftermath of the Holocaust.[6] As a result of objections by the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith and the New York Board of Rabbis, the film was not released in the United States until 1951, with seven minutes of profile shots and other parts of Guinness's performance cut.[7] It received great acclaim from critics, but, unlike Lean's Great Expectations, another Dickens adaptation, no Oscar nominations. The film was banned in Israel for anti-semitism. It was banned in Egypt for portraying Fagin too sympathetically.[8] Beginning in the 1970s, the full-length version of Lean's film began to be shown in the United States. It is that version which is now available on DVD. Release and reception [ edit ] Box office [ edit ] The film was the fifth most popular film at the British box office in 1949.[9] Critical reception [ edit ] Oliver Twist currently has a 'fresh' rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 8.6 out of 10 based on 17 reviews.[10] References [ edit ] Bibliography [ edit ] |
Southern Methodist University violated Title IX when it failed to provide a “prompt and equitable response” to the alleged sexual assault of a male student by another male student in 2012, the U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday. The university then failed to protect the victim from further harassment and embarrassment following the assault, the department said, leading him to drop out. The student’s claims are outlined in a resolution letter the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights sent to SMU this week, concluding a three-year investigation that began with a separate complaint in 2011 and eventually grew to include a third complaint in 2013 and a review of the university’s responses to sexual assaults dating back to 2009. The investigation concluded that the male student “was subjected to a sexually hostile environment as a result of the sexual assault and that he continued to be subjected to a sexually hostile environment as a result of the university’s inadequate response to his reports of retaliatory harassment." Title IX violations and subsequent resolution agreements do not often stem from the complaints of male students, partly because of the scarcity of reported cases of sexual assault against men. With its decision against SMU, victim advocates said, the Education Department affirmed that Title IX protects students of all genders. “Because of pervasive myths about who ‘can’ and ‘cannot’ be a rape victim, male survivors often aren't provided the same remedies and protections in schools as female survivors," said Dana Bolger, co-founder of Know Your IX. “These are protections they deserve and are owed under the law.” The male student, referred to as Complainant 3 in the letter, was a freshman when he was allegedly sexually assaulted twice in one morning by an older fraternity member from a prominent SMU family. The freshman reported the assault to the SMU police department and an SMU staff member, according to OCR, and SMU’s provost, associate provost, dean of student life, and chief of police were all informed of the incident. The Title IX coordinator was not. “Complainant 3 informed OCR that he was not provided information from the SMU Police Department concerning his Title IX rights” the letter stated. SMU police conducted its own investigation, but a police report was never given to the Title IX coordinator and university officials outside the police never conducted their own Title IX investigation into the assault. The university suspended the accused student and referred the freshman to campus counseling services. The SMU chaplain and chief of police spoke to the accused’s fraternity, and the victim’s professors were told to accommodate him if he was unable to complete exams or coursework. The university also issued a campus crime alert about the assault, identifying both the victim and suspect as male students. Eventually word spread about who the two male students in the crime alert were, and “Complainant 3” was harassed by various students on campus. Members of the alleged assailant's fraternity allegedly texted the victim facetious invitations to come to their house. His dorm roommate began teasing him with text messages of shirtless men, eventually prompting the student to find new housing. According to a lawsuit filed by the student against SMU, the resident assistant for his new floor was a friend of the alleged assailant. In the lawsuit, the student also claims he asked the university not to identify his gender in the crime alert, a request it ignored. The harassment continued after the student switched housing, he told OCR. The university did not investigate his claims, instead telling him to report the incidents to police if he felt unsafe. SMU’s associate provost told OCR that the accused student was “well-liked” and “powerful in the Greek system,” and that the freshman “was not wrong to think that he could cause people to dislike him.” The assailant is the great, great grandson of a member of SMU's founding committee and was highly involved in the university's interfraternity council. In his lawsuit, the victim alleges that the accused student's prominent family factored into the university's "deliberate indifference" toward the assault and harassment, and that the alleged attacker used his influence to threaten the victim's scholarship. The suspect was eventually charged with sexual assault, but those charges were later dropped, despite his admitting the assault in a phone call recorded by police. In the end, both students withdrew from the university. OCR stated that its investigation “established that Complainant 3 reported to SMU on multiple occasions that other students were harassing him with threatening and taunting comments, text messages, phone calls and visits to his room, and that the university did not investigate these concerns.” But in a statement Thursday, SMU said it disputed some of the investigation’s conclusions, and that it was “troubled that OCR did not follow the policies outlined in its Case Processing Manual for the review and disposition” of the male student’s case, which is still pending in federal district court. SMU also noted that some of the complaints predate the recommendations made by a 2013 sexual assault task force created by the university. “We are concerned that the OCR letter contains some generalizations that mischaracterize the facts,” Kent Talbert, special counsel to SMU and former general counsel for the U.S. Department of Education, said in the statement, adding that he was also “concerned that OCR appears to have grouped together a broad list of inquiries and allegations with a smaller number of formal complaints filed under Title IX.” The other allegations include that a professor made “gender-based” comments to a female student, referring to her as “bitchy,” “catty,” “a prom queen,” and a “hired bimbo.” The professor also allegedly told his class that not paying attention to specific details was “like looking at a beautiful woman only she’s wearing dirty panties.” Students complained about the remarks and the professor was required to receive sexual harassment training, but, according to OCR’s letter, he was not forced to apologize, nor was he monitored for further outbursts. Another complaint, from a former SMU employee, alleged that the university “had a pattern of not responding appropriately to complaints of sexual harassment” and that many students did not know where to turn when they were sexually assaulted. In its resolution agreement, the university did not admit any wrongdoing, but promised to adopt several new policies, many of which were rolled out over the last year while the investigation was ongoing. As part of the agreement, SMU will report to OCR about its ongoing effort to adopt the recommendations of its task force; conduct annual climate surveys; train staff and students on its revised sexual assault policy; notify students about the university's Title IX coordinators and how to contact them; provide reimbursement to the male student; and develop procedures for sharing information between the SMU police department and the Title IX coordinator. Erin Buzuvis, director of the Center for Gender & Sexuality Studies and a law professor at Western New England University, said the male student's case was likely not the result of universities not understanding how to apply Title IX to differing genders, but rather the result of continued misperceptions about how to ensure Title IX and law enforcement efforts coexist. “OCR's interpretations of university's obligation under Title IX to respond to sexual harassment, going all the way back to 1997, have always made clear that those obligations are the same whether the victim is male or female,” Buzuvis said. “I think there's more confusion around the fact that universities' obligations are co-extensive with those of the police.” |
will respond with military action if attempts to the country's mainly Russian-speaking eastern regions, interim prime minister has said. "I want to officially warn Russia: we will respond firmly, including through military means, against any attempt to seize Ukraine, to cross borders, or eastern or other regions by Russian troops," Yatsenyuk was quoted yesterday as saying in Brussels on the government website. Yatsenyuk also appealed to the West to "respond appropriately" as Moscow moves to attach Ukraine's Peninsula to the Russian Federation. " has violated law and undermined the nuclear non-proliferation regime," the premier said. " has carried out an armed robbery against an independent neighbouring country." Under a milestone agreement in 1994, Russia agreed to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity while Kiev renounced its Soviet-era nuclear arms. "Everyone should understand that there is a price to pay for stability in the world," said Yatsenyuk. "There are two means: either with victims (of a conflict) or with euros and dollars," he said in reference to economic sanctions. "It is better to sacrifice euros and dollars than to cry over thousands of deaths in a bloody war. "I hope that our European partners understand that. Afterwards it will be too late to use other types of sanctions," he added. |
A man drove his car into a granite Ten Commandments monument Wednesday morning, destroying the memorial less than 24 hours after it was installed on Arkansas Capitol grounds. The man was arrested, Arkansas Online reported. Investigators believe he recorded himself as he drove into the statue. ADVERTISEMENT “We had some concerns, just because this was such a highly charged issue with some people,” a spokesman with the Secretary of State’s office told Arkansas Online. State Sen. Jason Rapert (R) sponsored a 2015 law to erect the controversial 6-foot-tall monument on state grounds. The ACLU of Arkansas had said it planned a lawsuit over the monument. Workers are using a tractor to remove pieces of the NOW destroyed, controversial 10 Commandments monument from the AR State Capitol grounds. pic.twitter.com/zsxejTfcwI — Elisabeth Armstrong (@EArmstrongNews) June 28, 2017 |
Last night, landscape architecture firm Mahan Rykiel Associates and The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore revealed its first concepts for a new Rash Field. In January, approximately 200 people met to offer ideas and feedback about the project and Mahan Rykiel, along with The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, additionally commissioned an online survey about the future of Rash Field. The collective feedback received helped shape the plans which highlights beach volleyball, an anchor at Rash Field for the last 17 years, as well as with new sections of the space designed to diversify park uses. In the plan, volleyball will get a seven-court setup, the same amount of courts currently in place, in a new section called The Sand Box on the western side of the park. The courts will be stacked with four courts closer to Key Hwy. and three courts closer to the Inner Harbor. Immediately east of The Sand Box is a large grassy area called The Lawn. With a length of 100 yards by 50 yards, The Lawn will be able to accommodate full-length soccer games and can be configured for social sports. The Rash Field operators plan to partner with local schools and sports leagues for programming at The Lawn. New soil technologies will additionally be used to improve drainage at Rash Field. Adjacent to The Lawn to the north is The Game Allee. This will be an area for bocce ball, ping pong, and other yard activities. The existing bleachers adjacent to Key Hwy. will be broken up to add in new landscaping, as well as to create nooks called Reading Rooms for relaxing and reading. Richard Jones of Mahan Rykiel noted the bleachers will still have the same amount of stairs, which are used regularly by The November Project and patrons using the park to exercise. Other sections include The Overlook and Wall, which will feature a small peg rock climbing wall, and the Play Lab & Cafe, which is located towards the northwestern section of the park where vendors and food trucks can potentially set up, as well as a space for a playground. Mahan Rykiel is also looking at changing up the existing pavilion for vendor use. Update: The Plan now includes a Denmark-inpsired skatepark at the Play Lab & Café. Throughout the park and surrounding The Lawn will be a running trail made of a gravel surface. Jones noted it will be the same style surface that is getting installed at Eager Park in East Baltimore. His team chose this surface after consulting with physicians at Johns Hopkins Hospital about the best running surfaces for a runner’s body. The plan also includes a garden adjacent to the Rusty Scupper and garage, as well as the relocation of the Pride of Baltimore Memorial. Additionally, the facility’s bathrooms, which are often locked, will be renovated and a berm separating the park and Inner Harbor promenade will be removed and replaced with new landscaping and trees. The plan was very well received by many in attendance but concerns were also shared in the Q & A session and during the work groups. Several in attendance, as well as all the work groups, noted the number of volleyball courts was not increased in the new plan. Baltimore Beach Volleyball estimates they have 2,500 weekly users, with a growing demand to expand. Concerns were also shared about the aging overhead lighting at the park, which is not in the plans to be replaced, though Mahan Rykiel noted that safe levels of lighting would be installed throughout the park. The users also wanted to make sure safety measures and maintenance continued at the park with the many new uses proposed. Many attendees also hoped to see a winter ice rink in the park. Baltimore Beach Volleyball President Todd Webster told SouthBMore.com he was positive about the progress and happy to see the park get some “desperately needed attention.” Webster has been planning a second venue, in addition to Rash Field, to meet the growing demand for volleyball. He did not disclose the location or timeline for the venue at this time. Mahan Rykiel will take into consideration the feedback received and will present a plan to the Baltimore City Planning Department’s Urban Design & Architecture Review Panel (UDARP) in April. Feedback can also be submitted at rashfield.org. The city has $4.5 million budgeted for the first round of improvements with an additional $4.5 million expected in upcoming years. Jones anticipated construction could take about 18 months and a groundbreaking is anticipated for the summer or fall of 2017 . Mahan Rykiel’s work in Baltimore includes Pierce’s Park at Pier 5; East Baltimore’s Eager Park, which is now under construction; and, a master plan for Patterson Park. The firm is also currently working with the Downtown Partnership on a redevelopment of McKeldin Square adjacent to the Inner Harbor. Also scheduled to get underway in the immediate area is the redevelopment of the Key Hwy. and Light St. intersection. The project is anticipated to start this fall and has an approximate 18-month construction timeline. Renderings from the Mahan Rykiel Presentation About the Author: Kevin Lynch Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, beach volleyball enthusiast, dog lover, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, beach volleyball enthusiast, dog lover, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter at @SoBoKevin |
My seven-year-old child, although born male-bodied, has expressed herself as a girl since she could walk and talk. That expression translated into an articulation at age four that she was a girl "stuck inside the wrong body". Reinforcing boyhood for our child began to lead to distress, upset and anxiety. What did we do? We kept reinforcing boyhood. What happened then? We found ourselves with a five-year-old who talked about wanting to die rather than be a boy. A five-year-old with a fascination for butterflies and caterpillars and mermaids who began talking about suicide … Our child lives as a girl now and her school describes her as "calm, mature, bright-eyed and intelligent". How did we get to that point? We listened to the child. We educated ourselves on the facts at hand and we facilitated the child's outward expression of her own assertion about her identity. This has led to a happy child, well adjusted and thriving, engaged with an education and well liked by peers. The issue at stake for children such as ours appears to be firmly rooted in a gender identity not congruent with their natal sex: a condition called gender dysphoria. And yet, many people insist that any divergence away from a gender identity that does not match biological sex according to a strict binary of male and female is pathological or a deviation. This is a disturbing and dangerous prejudice that is unfortunately perpetuated by some of our national press. "NHS to give sex change drugs to nine-year-olds: Clinic accused of 'playing God' with treatment that stops puberty" declared the ugly front page headline. When the Mail on Sunday sought to make a mockery of the NHS, "sex swap drugs for nine-year-olds" was what they decided to run with. Vulnerable families attempting desperately to support children with gender dysphoria were targeted. Why? Because the world doesn't seem to accept that our gender and our core sense of self is rooted in our minds and not between our legs. And so because it is in the mind, our children are declared as hysterical and delusional and suffering from psychiatric disturbance. The Psychiatric Diagnostic Statistical Manual has recently been updated to list what was known as gender identity disorder as gender dysphoria. This is because the symptoms that accompany the distress of gender incongruence between mind and body are what leads to pathology and not the state of identification in and of itself. Modern psychiatry can accept that. In response to accusations that our children can be "counselled out of this", the fallout from reparative therapies is evident. Modern psychotherapy and counselling is not the same as North Korean-style brainwashing. Counselling is about nurturing a person within an empathic relationship of positive regard towards a better sense of self and place in the world. This is often exactly what parents are struggling to achieve. Puberty suppressants are not "sex swap drugs". In theory they are only prescribed after lengthy assessments between teams of health professionals in consultation when strict criteria are met. They are usually only prescribed and monitored closely by consultant paediatric endocrinologists in tandem with psychotherapeutic support. The reality is that far more children who need puberty suppressants are not being prescribed them than are. Many who would benefit from this treatment actually do not receive it. It is true that some health professionals have had their careers threatened if they respond to the needs of transgender children and families, often by superiors who are entirely unsympathetic and openly prejudiced. Families and children are still at the mercy of this culture, in direct contrast to the scenario suggested by the Mail on Sunday. Families commonly find themselves with nowhere to turn in the UK after the very services and support they turn to either rejects them or turns on them. Paediatric endocrinologists with the courage to prescribe puberty suppressants to transgender children in the UK are few and far between despite the fact that the research from controlled clinical trials exists. Puberty suppressants are not a permanent measure: they are reversible and give pubescent children with acute gender dysphoria time to think and work out their place in the world without the pressure of secondary sex characteristics developing that define and brand a child as belonging to the very biological sex they so vehemently reject. This is not an experimental science. Precedents exist. Research exists. Children have been monitored and outcomes compiled. If the child grows older and becomes more comfortable with their natal sex, so be it. When the puberty suppressants are withdrawn, a normal healthy puberty resumes and progresses. There is no lasting damage, unlike secondary pathologies such as self-harming, eating disorders, depression, substance abuse and the consequences of dropping out of education, bullying and peer rejection. This is a horrific reality for many children: and some courageous, loving parents who support brave, intelligent children are at times rejected by health professionals and, after that indignity, are demonised and mocked in the press. This isn't about sexuality or not allowing our children to grow up gay. Some people think that. Others blame distant parenting and then over-protective parenting. Some people think we subconsciously condition our children to be the children we never had or always longed for. (This while we are battling to get them to brush their teeth, eat their five a day, tidy their bedrooms and finish their homework). In contrast, some gay parents are accused of causing this also because they are gay. Many are threatened with investigation from child protection services when there is no case to answer. How insulting and degrading to our abilities as parents and our relationships with our children. Our children are regularly accused of coming from "dysfunctional families" which always shocks people who actually know us. The truth is that trans children come from all walks of life. Some parents can and do open themselves up to the possibility that an outward expression of the gender the child identifies with "persistently, consistently and insistently" as opposed to the body they inhabit, is what is going to take their child to a healthy sense of self. This is often difficult and traumatic for parents as they come to terms with what they need to do to nurture well balanced, contributing members of society. Parents will often grieve painfully and at length for the child they thought they had even as they work to support and accept. But without that acceptance, more NHS resources are avoidably burdened as our children develop secondary pathologies, appearing repeatedly in accident and emergency wards after suicide attempts and chronic self-harming incidents. Chronic eating disorders and substance abuse can take root when children and adolescents are not given affirmation and recognition as well as that chance to belong in an environment where they have a safe education and thrive towards a life of community and contribution. Depression and anxiety fester when children are not supported. The statistics are horrifying and alarming. Some children escape all this, nurtured by parents who respond lovingly and intuitively, who reject the bigotry and foster their children to step out into the world bravely and proudly, the way Ruby Bridges's mother did in Alabama all those years ago as represented in Norman Rockwell's civil rights painting, The Problem We All Live With. Parents of transgender children work tirelessly with schools to keep their children engaged with education so they can grow up to contribute. We work. We pay taxes. We want them to as well. People forget that. We decry the very same waste and exploitation of public money and resources that anyone else does. The NHS was created with the ideal that healthcare should be available to all, and that it should meet the needs of everyone. The editors at the Mail on Sunday sought to make an attack on the translation of that aim into a modern reality, leaving vulnerable transgender children and their families as collateral damage. Why don't we just ignore it? Would you if it was your child? This world belongs to my child as much as yours. Do you suggest we turn a blind eye and leave our children to the mercy of bigotry and prejudice? Would you? Mermaids is a support group for gender variant children and teenagers, and their families. |
The Oregon-Stanford series -- first spot goes to last season's winner -- started earning nationwide notice six years ago when a couple of obscure guys named Toby Gerhart and Andrew Luck led the Cardinal to an upset win over the No. 8 Ducks. That was Chip Kelly's first season as Oregon's coach, and his postgame handshake with then-Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh apparently passed without incident. Oregon went on to win the 2009 Pac-10 title nonetheless, yet the next four times the teams met, the conference and then the North Division title were the stakes. The series first featured Stanford's "Oregon Problem" -- the Ducks were just too darn fast! Then it rerouted to Oregon's "Stanford Problem" -- the Cardinal were just too big and physical! Last year's new wrinkle continues this go-around, but it isn't that fun: The series' unranked problem. Oregon is currently unranked but has looked much better in recent weeks with a healthy Vernon Adams. AP Photo/Ryan Kang Last season, Stanford was struggling, unranked and underperforming, while Oregon was a College Football Playoff contender led by the eventual Heisman Trophy winner. This year, the reverse is true. Stanford, 11th in the initial CFP rankings, has won eight in a row after an opening defeat at Northwestern and boasts its own Heisman candidate in running back Christian McCaffrey. Oregon needed a three-game winning streak to reach this Saturday's contest at 6-3. Before last year, in the previous four games between Oregon and Stanford, both teams were ranked no lower than 13th, and three times it was a top-10 matchup -- top-5 in 2013. When asked how he felt about Stanford being a heavy favorite against the Ducks on Saturday, Cardinal coach David Shaw -- his team fresh off a 42-10 pasting of Colorado -- wouldn't bite. “It doesn’t matter what the records say," he said. "It’s going to be a knockdown, drag-out fight.” Maybe. The contrast in styles always makes this game interesting. Oregon remains uptempo slick, eager to find space for its playmakers so they can make someone miss. Stanford remains old-school smashmouth. It wants to brawl at the line of scrimmage and continues to use an exotic curiosity whispered about by old-timers, sometimes termed "a huddle," where rumor has it no one can steal your signals. At some point this week, there will be tweets and blog posts about Oregon's uniform choice. Stanford will be the team in red jerseys with a block "S" on its helmets. Stanford can make a national statement with a strong performance. Or Oregon can show folks it doesn't plan to go gentle into that good night. The pregame perspective could spin off in myriad directions. One can say Oregon should benefit from being looser, or one can insist the considerable stakes will redouble the Cardinal's focus. While Oregon can still win the North Division -- it needs to win out and hope Stanford loses the Big Game to California -- it probably isn't playing for trophies. Yet trophies often aren't as motivating as, say, shoulder chips or feelings of disrespect. The underdog mentality fueled Stanford in 2012 and '13 victories. Now, perhaps, its Oregon's turn to show up as finely tuned yet grumpy under-ducks. Said Oregon receiver Darren Carrington: “I think we are hyped for every game, but being that they are ranked and this is pretty much the decider of who goes to the Pac-12 championship, I think we are going to have maybe a little more drive to go down there and play with confidence and try to win.” At first glance, it would seem Carrington and the Ducks' offense are going to have to turn the game into a scoring fest. The Oregon defense is banged up, mediocre at linebacker and struggling with youth in the secondary, and that doesn't bode well for slowing a veteran Stanford offense that is the Pac-12's most balanced -- see 1,774 yards rushing, 1,721 yards passing. Yet Oregon's offensive performance Saturday in a 44-28 win over Cal -- brilliant with a side dish of sloppy -- should raise a few eyebrows, particularly with quarterback Vernon Adams' growing comfort level and an offensive line showing some true grit. The Ducks rolled up a team-record 777 yards, including 477 yards on the ground. Two blocked punts? Two end zone interceptions? Sort of yucky, but don't forget Oregon often operates best amid frenzied chaos, and that's not really Stanford's bag. Stanford defensive coordinator Lance Anderson has seen his rebuilt unit come together in fits and starts this season. It now ranks third in the conference in scoring defense and yards per play. But Oregon's last two games with a healthy Adams hint at the Ducks rediscovering their pyrotechnic abilities, and Anderson has taken note. “They seem like a different offense [with Adams back]," Anderson said. "They seem to be hitting on all cylinders now. We’re going to have our hands full.” Little has gone according to plan in the Pac-12 this season. The consensus in the preseason was Oregon would run away with the North Division, and the South would be chock full of ranked teams angling for position, with USC seemingly first among equals. Heck, Stanford was almost entirely written off after its ill-fated trip to Northwestern. Ah, the entertaining noise of it. Sports debate and analysis before the fact has a pretty weak shelf life, and if it were more consistent in its accuracy, the games themselves would be less fun. So on a player and coach level, Anderson hit on a simple formula for success that touches the Ducks as much as his defense and the Cardinal as a whole. He said, “We need to not worry about who’s ranked where, who’s the underdog and all that. Just go out and play." |
In a game in which the Baltimore Ravens aren't expected to play their starters, Thursday night's preseason finale in New Orleans sets up to be The Breshad Perriman Show. Though the Ravens have yet to make an official announcement, all indications point to the Ravens wide receiver playing in his first game in 616 days. Perriman wants to play. Coach John Harbaugh wants to see him on the field before the regular season starts. And fans want to get a glimpse of the 2015 first-round pick who has been sidelined by injuries to both knees. Of the top 55 picks in the 2015 draft, the Ravens' Breshad Perriman will be the last to suit up for any sort of game. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images As long as the doctors clear him, Perriman will line up against the New Orleans Saints, which would be his first game since he totaled 138 yards receiving against North Carolina State in the Bitcoin Bowl on Dec. 26, 2014. "When you go through all the stuff I've been through, this year and last year, it definitely makes you stronger mentally," Perriman said. "You just can't let things break you. Don't get me wrong. It's hard. It's an everyday battle. But if you come with the mindset that basically you're going to destroy everyday, you'll be fine." Of the top 55 picks in the 2015 draft, Perriman will be the last to suit up for a preseason or regular-season game. Of the 14 wide receivers selected in the first three rounds that year, he was one of two not to make a catch in the regular season (the Chicago Bears' Kevin White was the other). Perriman should get plenty of opportunities if he plays. The Ravens are expected to rest Steve Smith Sr., Mike Wallace and Kamar Aiken in the preseason finale. There's a chance receiver-returner Michael Campanaro also gets the night off. If that's the case, Perriman would be one of five receivers for third-string quarterback Josh Johnson, who might start and play the entire game. How will Perriman handle the nerves? “Just embrace it, to be honest," he said. "I know I'm going to be nervous. I'm nervous before every game even in college. I know I'm going to be nervous, but at the same time, I feel like it gives me a little bit of an edge. I think it makes me play better. I have no problem with it.” This has been unchartered territory for the Ravens. Before Perriman, all nine first-round picks who were offensive players -- from Jonathan Ogden to Michael Oher -- started at least a handful of games as rookies. Ronnie Stanley, this year's first-round pick, will start at left tackle. Perriman was the only rookie first-round pick in the Ravens' 20-year history not to play a snap in his first season. Now, it appears that he is ready to take the field. “It's just crazy," Perriman said. "Just to think about, I'll be able to go out there with my teammates and my friends ... it's something I've been waiting for a long time.” |
Image caption A clone could be attempted using bone marrow cells Scientists from Russia and Japan are undertaking a Jurassic Park-style experiment in an effort to bring the woolly mammoth out of extinction. The scientists claim that a thigh bone found in August contains remarkably well-preserved marrow cells, which could form the starting point of the experiment. The team claim that the cloning could be complete within the next five years. But others have cast doubt on whether such a thing is possible. Mother cow? The team, from the Siberian mammoth museum and Japan's Kinki University, said that they planned to extract a nucleus from the animal's bone marrow and insert it into the egg of an African elephant. Similar procedures have been done before with mixed results. In 2009it was reportedthat the recently extinct Pyrenean ibex was brought back to life briefly using 10-year-old DNA from the animal's skin. The cloned ibex died within minutes of being born, due to breathing difficulties. The Roslin Institute, famous for cloning Dolly the sheep, no longer conducts cloning work but haspublished some thoughtson the possibilities of bringing extinct species back to life. It said it was extremely unlikely such an experiment would be successful, especially using an elephant surrogate. "First, a suitable surrogate mother animal is required. For the mammoth this would need to be a cow (as best biological fit) but even here the size difference may preclude gestation to term," it said. The success rate for such an experiment would be in the range of 1-5%, it said. The second issue would be the need for viable whole cells. "If there are intact cells in this tissue they have been 'stored' frozen. However, if we think back to what actually happened to the animal - it died, even if from the cold, the cells in the body would have taken some time to freeze. This time lag would allow for breakdown of the cells, which normally happens when any animal dies. Then the carcass would freeze. So it is unlikely that the cells would be viable," it said. Assuming that viable cells are found it becomes a numbers game, it went on. "Let's say that one in a thousand cells were nevertheless viable, practical issues come into play. Given that we have an efficiency of 1% cloning for livestock species and if only one in a thousand cells are viable then around 100,000 cells would need to be transferred," it said. Hybrid Charles Foster, a fellow at Green Templeton College, Oxford, seemed more optimistic. "The idea of mammoth cloning isn't completely ridiculous. "How the resultant embryos would fare beyond the stage of a few cells is more or less unknown," he said. While most of the genetic coding of the embryo would come from the mammoth, some would come from the elephant ovum. "We really don't know what the contribution of that cytoplasmic material is, or how it would interact with 'alien' DNA," he said. It would however mean that, even if successful, the clone would be a hybrid rather than a pure mammoth. |
The Apple CEO gave an interview to Mad Money ‘s Jim Cramer , apparently in an effort to further spin Apple’s less-than-stellar financial results reported Tuesday. Above all Cook added some additional color to Apple’s progress in China, saying: • Sales of Macs grew 20% year-over-year in China during the March quarter. • Sales of the Apple Watch “grew nicely.” • Apple’s growing (digital) services business is “on a tear there.” • Cook reiterated that iPhone sales are now being depressed as users delay upgrading until the launch of Apple’s next phones. In the same interview Cook said Apple plans to start a $1 billion fund to invest in companies that will create “advanced manufacturing jobs” in the U.S. He said the first investment will be announced later in the month. Watch the full interview here. |
Renewable Energy Storage Green Chemistry Stationary Battery The Edison Nickel Iron Cell Outlasts Lead Acid by Decades! Lasting Energy Storage for Solar, Wind & Micro-Hydro Invented over 100 years ago by Thomas Edison as a non-polluting and non-consumable alternative to Lead Acid Batteries using no heavy metals! -Now manufactured once again worldwide after lead acid battery companies closed Edison's Plant in 1972 in East Orange, NJ USA. This Information Is Provided by ... The Nickel Iron Battery Association -dedicated to clean energy storage for renewable energy systems. Click Here to Read International Study of Lead Acid Battery Pollution from Solar Applications in India and China Thomas Edison with his Nickel Iron Battery in 1910 Thomas Edison with his Nickel Iron Battery in 1910 Building a solar, wind or other renewable energy system for a home or business can be discouraging if lead acid batteries need to be used. Lead acid batteries are "consumables" and last only a fraction of lifespan of your solar panels or other electricity sources. Massive battery banks of lead acid batteries need to be replaced every 10 years or less. However a better solution has been available since about 1911 using the almost forgotten storage battery that contains no toxic heavy metals and may outlast you or your house! The purpose of this site is to collect information that will help people to use and maintain the Nickel Iron Battery technology for use in Solar homes and for Marine applications. The Nickel Iron battery often lasts in excess of 40 years and makes a perfect match for solar panels which also last for about 40 years or more. This site is focused on the re-popularization of nickel iron batteries in renewable energy applications. Nickel Iron Batteries contain no environmentally damaging heavy or poisonous elements. The electrolyte of Potassium Hydroxide is caustic but can be useful in farming when diluted to neutralize acidic soils. This site is not specific to a manufacturer or supplier. Nickel Iron battery manufacturers or suppliers are welcome to list links to their websites. This site supplies useful and accurate information on the Edison Nickel Iron Battery technology and its uses in alternate energy applications. The purpose of this site is to collect information that will help people to use and maintain the Nickel Iron Battery technology for use in Solar homes and for Marine applications. The Nickel Iron battery often lasts in excess of 40 years and makes a perfect match for solar panels which also last for about 40 years or more. This site is focused on the re-popularization of nickel iron batteries in renewable energy applications. Nickel Iron Batteries contain no environmentally damaging heavy or poisonous elements. The electrolyte of Potassium Hydroxide is caustic but can be useful in farming when diluted to neutralize acidic soils.This site is not specific to a manufacturer or supplier. Nickel Iron battery manufacturers or suppliers are welcome to list links to their websites. This site supplies useful and accurate information on the Edison Nickel Iron Battery technology and its uses in alternate energy applications. Nickel-iron Battery Specifications Energy/weight 30 -50 Wh/kg Energy/size 30 Wh/l Power/weight 100 W/kg Charge/discharge efficiency 65% - 85% Energy/consumer-price 1.5 – 6.6 Wh/US$ Self-discharge rate 10-15% /month Time durability 30 – 100 years Cycle durability Repeated deep discharge does not reduce life significantly. Nominal cell voltage 1.2 V Charge temperature interval min.-40°C max.46 °C The nickel-iron battery (NiFe battery) is a storage battery having a nickel(III) oxide-hydroxide cathode and an iron anode, with an electrolyte of potassium hydroxide. The active materials are held in nickel-plated steel tubes or perforated pockets. It is a very robust battery which is tolerant of abuse, (overcharge, overdischarge, and short-circuiting) and can have very long life even if so treated. [6] It is often used in backup situations where it can be continuously charged and can last for more than 40 years. Due to its high cost of manufacture, other types of rechargeable batteries have displaced the nickel-iron battery in most applications. Because of their long life NiFe batteries are ideal for backing up renewable energy applications. The reason for their disappearance in the North American market is largely due to the Exide Corporation's decision to abandon the technology in 1975 after purchasing it from the Edison Storage Battery company for several million dollars. The reason for acquiring the manufacturing process to make NiFe batteries and then simply abandoning the technology is unknown. Exide remains the second largest manufacturer of lead acid batteries in the world. (If anyone knows more about why Nickel Iron batteries went out of production in North America please contact us and we will update this website.) Charging Parameters The proper float voltage is 1.45 volts per cell. If 10 cells were used, the proper charge voltage would be 14.5 volts. The charge voltage can vary from 1.46 to 1.55 volts per cell. Unlike other battery designs, the exact charge voltage is unimportant. A higher voltage will result in quicker charges but more water loss that will necessitate more frequent topping up with distilled water. Since the cells can withstand overcharge there is debate over what constitutes a proper charge voltage. The higher you go the quicker water will disappear from the batteries. At voltages greater than 1.5 volts/cell the batteries will store approximately 15% more power than they are rated for. If 10 cells were used, the charge voltage could range from 14.6 volts to 15.5 volts. It is probably better to use the 1.46 volts / cell level of charge in order to minimize water loss if the battery will be unattended for months at a time. Regenerative catalytic caps are available to combine the h2 and o2 back into water if unattended maintenance is required. There are also auto watering systems that are available. The proper equalization voltage is 1.65 volts per cell. If 10 cells were used, the proper equalization voltage would be 16.5 volts. This equalization charge is applied for 8 hours using at least C/10 current. According to Edison's original manual from 1914, it is best to completely discharge the batteries from time to time before applying the equalization charge. Edison also recommends a 1.7 volt equalization charge and he recommends changing the electrolyte every 5-10 years. This will all come as a surprise for lead acid battery users. In contrast to lead acid, the NiFe battery can be overcharged for decades at a time without damage and can be left discharged for years at a time and will still work perfectly when needed. Durability The ability of these batteries to survive frequent cycling is due to the low solubility of the reactants in the electrolyte. The formation of metallic iron during charge is slow because of the low solubility of the Fe 3 O 4 . While the slow formation of iron crystals preserves the electrodes, it also limits the high rate performance: these cells charge slowly, and are only able to discharge slowly. [6] Nickel-iron cells should not be charged from a constant voltage supply since they can be damaged by thermal runaway; the cell internal voltage drops as gassing begins, raising temperature, which increases current drawn and so further increases gassing and temperature. Nickel-iron batteries have long been used in European mining operations because of their ability to withstand vibrations, high temperatures and other physical stress. They are being examined again for use in wind and solar power systems and for modern electric vehicle applications. Electrochemistry The half-cell reaction at the cathode: 2 NiOOH + 2 H 2 O + 2 e− ↔ 2 Ni(OH) 2 + 2 OH− and at the anode: Fe + 2 OH− ↔ Fe(OH) 2 + 2 e− (Discharging is read left to right, charging is from right to left.)[7] The open-circuit voltage is 1.4 volts, dropping to 1.2 volts during discharge. [6] The electrolyte mixture of potassium hydroxide and lithium hydroxide is not consumed in charging or discharging, so unlike a lead-acid battery the electrolyte specific gravity does not indicate state of charge. [6] Lithium hydroxide improves the performance of the cell. the voltage required to charge the cells is between 1.6 and 1.7 volts. Most people use 1.65 volts. History Swedish inventor Waldemar Jungner had invented the nickel-cadmium battery in 1899. Jungner experimented with substituting iron for the cadmium in varying proportions, including 100% iron. Jungner had already discovered that the main advantage over the nickel-cadmium chemistry was cost, but due to the poorer efficiency of the charging reaction, Jungner never patented the iron version of his battery. The nickel iron battery was developed by Thomas Edison in 1901, and used as the energy source for electric vehicles, such as the Detroit Electric and Baker Electric. Edison claimed the nickel-iron design to be, "far superior to batteries using lead plates and acid" (lead-acid battery). Both Edison and Ford worked together on electric cars prior to the World War One. Jungner's work was largely unknown in the US until the 1940s, when nickel-cadmium batteries went into production there. A 50 volt nickel-iron battery was the main power supply in the World War II German V2 rocket (together with two 16 volt accumulators which powered the four gyroscopes), with a smaller version used in the V1 flying bomb. (viz. 1946 Operation Backfire blueprints.) 1912 Detroit Electric Car with NiFe Battery Several early car manufacturers offered nickel iron batteries at the turn of the 20th century . NiFe batteries were a more expensive option and most of these cars owned by collectors such as Jay Leno still contain functioning NiFe storage batteries constructed prior to World War One. The Royal BC Museum in Canada contains a working car as does the BC Hydro museum. Nickel Iron Battery Still Functioning after almost 100 years Manufacturing from 1903 Edison's batteries were made from about 1903 to 1972 by the Edison Battery Storage Company located in East Orange, NJ. They were quite profitable for the company. In 1972 the battery company was sold to the Exide Battery Corporation, which discontinued making the battery in 1975. The Eagle-Picher Company of the UK advertised in 1970 a nickel iron car battery that would "last as long as all the cars you own in a lifetime". They purchased the cells for their battery from Edison's company. They also proposed their application in all electric vehicles in the early 1990s. Perhaps this was the stimulus to bury the Edison Storage Battery Company. No one really knows why the Exide Battery Company killed the technology in North America by 1975. It is interesting to note that all railways from 1910 to 1965 or so used nickel iron batteries in the caboose to run all the lights on the train. Yet technical literature on batteries such as Audel's New Electric Library only mention lead acid batteries starting in 1945. It is even erased in Audel's guide from the section on the history of batteries. So it would appear that nickel iron battery knowledge was no longer being published in technical guildebooks by the end of the second world war. Yet V2 rockets during the second world war were nickel iron battery powered. The reason for this disappearance from the technical literature is a mystery. Edison was disappointed that his battery was not adopted for starting internal combustion engines and that electric vehicles went out of production only a few years after his battery was introduced. He actually developed the battery to be the battery of choice for electric vehicles which were the preferred transportation mode in the early 1900s (followed by gasoline and steam). Edison's batteries had a significantly higher energy density than the lead acid batteries in use at the time, and could be charged in half the time, however they performed poorly at low ambient temperatures. The battery enjoyed wide use for railroad signalling, fork lift, and standby power applications. By simply changing the electrolyte to a higher concentration of KOH the modern manufacturers have achieved low temperature operation. In situations where a lead acid uncharged battery might suffer freezing damage, a nickel iron battery will not be damaged at all. There are now USA, Chinese and Russian manufacturers of NiFe batteries. Nickel-iron cells are currently made with capacities from 5 Ah to 1000 Ah. Many of the original manufacturers no longer make nickel iron cells but new manufacturers started appearing in the last 20 years. Environmental impact Nickel-iron batteries do not have the lead or cadmium of the lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries, which makes them a lesser burden on human and ecological health. There are in use for solar homes today mainly in Australia. Example Chicago USA Off Grid with Nickel Iron Batteries (some from 1930s and still ticking!) Click to Read Report Example Canadian Solar Home with Nickel Iron Storage 700 Watts of Solar Panels 200 Amp Hour Nickel Iron Cell Maximum Power Point Controller set to Nickel Iron Nickel Iron Battery Bank in Garden Shed Remote Village Power in China Project costs are much lower with NiFe as compared to lead acid battery systems when you take into account the replacement of spent batteries. NiFe cells will last 20-40 years in this application. even with deep discharges. Historic Technical Literature on NiFe Batteries 1/ Edison published a nickel iron maintenance guidebook in 1914 ... click here to download his manual. 2/ Eagle-Picher advertsement for their Nickel Iron car and Electric Car batteries. Current Research on Nickel Iron Batteries The University of Michigan and the University of Victoria are doing research on the application of Nickel Iron Batteries. The University of Victoria is doing research on the use of magneto-hydrodynamic (magnetic agitation) processes to increase the efficiency into the 90% range for NiFe batteries through the work of Dr. Robert O'Brien. The University of Michigan is doing research on the local manufacturing of NiFe batteries in developing countries because of the environmentally friendly chemistry. The results of these research projects will be reported here during 2010. Modern Research to Rejuvenate 85 Year Old Edison Cells Thomas Edison suggested that his Nickel Iron Cells would last 100 years. A battery researcher in the USA has recently during 2011 rejuvenated some 85 year old cells produced by Edison. He was able to restore them to a useable state even after 85 years ... so it would seem it was not an idle boast of Edison's that they would reach 100 years! Here is the research paper to right click and save ... Open Source Concepts for Future Research on the Edison Cell 1/ Storing the Hydrogen Another new area that a number of people are working on is the re-design of the Nickel Iron battery case so that the hydrogen generated during the charging of a nickel iron battery can be collected and saved for cooking, lighting or fuel cell operation to generate electricity from the stored hydrogen. Thus the generation of hydrogen during charging can become an asset. This was Ian Soutar of Microsec R&D Inc.'s idea originally and is being published here as a "public disclosure" to prevent the possibility of anyone patenting the concept. These few paragraphs constitute the first public disclosure. Nickel Iron batteries are based on a Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) solution for the electrolyte. Hydrogen generators that are commercially avaiable also use a KOH solution and nickel or stainless steel electrodes. Thus the Edison cell almost certainly could be able to double as a hydrogen generator as well! Anyone is free to fly with this idea ... as long as they realize that this concept is now in the public domain and will not be patentable. If anyone can master it this will be a great breakthrough that can provide for reliable and limitless decentralized local storage of electricity. The Nickel Iron battery can be overcharged for decades without damage as it merrily bubbles out its hydrogen. We only need to figure out how to collect it without affecting the battery function. -Ian Soutar of Victoria BC Canada holds the copyright (Sept 2009)) for these ideas to be distributed for free public use subject to the restrictions of the GPL3. 2/ Stopping the Generation of Hydrogen Microsec R&D Inc. is also doing research in Victoria BC Canada on the use of catalytic caps (containing platinum wool) for the battery cells that recombine the hydrogen and oxygen released during charging into water and allows it to drip back down into the cells. This may eliminate the need to water the batteries regularly. These caps are available for lead acid batteries but have a short lifespan due to the sulphur present in the sulphuric acid electrolyte. However the Nickel Iron chemistry contains no poisons for the platinum catalyst and they might last indefinitely with NiFe. If this works it would open the way to manufacture sealed nickel iron batteries. Attempts to create sealed Nickel Iron Batteries have so far not been found due to the release of hydrogen. This is the first public disclosure of the concept and it is open to everyone to play with without patenting issues holding back the research. This application would preclude the collection of hydrogen of course. The University of Michigan and the University of Victoria are doing research on the application of Nickel Iron Batteries. The University of Victoria is doing research on the use of magneto-hydrodynamic (magnetic agitation) processes to increase the efficiency into the 90% range for NiFe batteries through the work of Dr. Robert O'Brien. The University of Michigan is doing research on the local manufacturing of NiFe batteries in developing countries because of the environmentally friendly chemistry. The results of these research projects will be reported here during 2010.Thomas Edison suggested that his Nickel Iron Cells would last 100 years. A battery researcher in the USA has recently during 2011 rejuvenated some 85 year old cells produced by Edison. He was able to restore them to a useable state even after 85 years ... so it would seem it was not an idle boast of Edison's that they would reach 100 years!Here is the research paper to right click and save ... Rejuvenating an 85 year old battery pdf. Another new area that a number of people are working on is the re-design of the Nickel Iron battery case so that the hydrogen generated during the charging of a nickel iron battery can be collected and saved for cooking, lighting or fuel cell operation to generate electricity from the stored hydrogen. Thus the generation of hydrogen during charging can become an asset.This was Ian Soutar of Microsec R&D Inc.'s idea originally andNickel Iron batteries are based on a Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) solution for the electrolyte. Hydrogen generators that are commercially avaiable also use a KOH solution and nickel or stainless steel electrodes. Thus the Edison cell almost certainly could be able to double as a hydrogen generator as well! Anyone is free to fly with this idea ... as long as they realize that this concept is now in the public domain and will not be patentable. If anyone can master it this will be a great breakthrough that can provide for reliable and limitless decentralized local storage of electricity. The Nickel Iron battery can be overcharged for decades without damage as it merrily bubbles out its hydrogen. We only need to figure out how to collect it without affecting the battery function.-Ian Soutar of Victoria BC Canada holds the copyright (Sept 2009)) for these ideas to be distributed for free public use subject to the restrictions of the GPL3.Microsec R&D Inc. is also doing research in Victoria BC Canada on the use of catalytic caps (containing platinum wool) for the battery cells that recombine the hydrogen and oxygen released during charging into water and allows it to drip back down into the cells. This may eliminate the need to water the batteries regularly. These caps are available for lead acid batteries but have a short lifespan due to the sulphur present in the sulphuric acid electrolyte. However the Nickel Iron chemistry contains no poisons for the platinum catalyst and they might last indefinitely with NiFe.Attempts to create sealed Nickel Iron Batteries have so far not been found due to the release of hydrogen. This is the first public disclosure of the concept and it is open to everyone to play with without patenting issues holding back the research. This application would preclude the collection of hydrogen of course. -Ian Soutar of Victoria BC Canada holds the copyright (April 2010) for these ideas to be distributed for free public use subject to the restrictions of the GPL3. These concepts are presented in the spirit of the General Public Licence or GPL3 that is usually applied to software. Below is a link to the licencing concept to be used for the above ideas. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html Everyone is encouraged to add to this collection of research ideas for the improvement of the Edison Cell. The reason for this public disclosure is evident in the new Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, where the chemical patent is owned by A123Systems (http://www.a123systems.com/). The ownership of this amazing chemical invention remains locked into ownership by one group and the result is a very expensive battery that will remain expensive for 20 years. This inhibits the adoption of alternate energy technologies at a time when their adoption is critical. The reason for this public disclosure is evident in the new Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, where the chemical patent is owned by A123Systems (http://www.a123systems.com/). The ownership of this amazing chemical invention remains locked into ownership by one group and the result is a very expensive battery that will remain expensive for 20 years. This inhibits the adoption of alternate energy technologies at a time when their adoption is critical. Nickel Iron Battery Supplier Homepages www.changhongbatteries.com Changhong Battery Manufacturer in China http://www.beutilityfree.com USA supplier of NiFe batteries http://www.zappworks.com/ USA manufacturer and supplier of NiFe batteries in Montana http://www.microsec.net Canadian Supplier of ChangHong batteries, Victoria BC http://www.agofuelcells.com AGO Environmental Electronics in Canada (custom orders, also sells hydrogen fuel cells) http://www.accumkursk.ru Kursk Accumulator Plant NiFe Manufacturer in Russia Small Sized NiFe Samples 10AH @ 1.2 volts (for Educational and Industrial Battery Researchers ) Newly manufactured samples of nickel iron cells nominally 1.2 (one point two volts) available for $50 each including shipping within North America to researchers. This service is being offered only to battery researchers. Charging and maintenance instructions shipped with each and technical assistance is available. Please write to Ian Soutar of Microsec R&D Inc ... isoutar@microsec.net Exciting Research on Nickel Iron Batteries Journal of IEEE 1995 showing that cycling of the battery does not reduce capacity. (Shows that scienfic tests validate the long lifespan of NiFe cells.) Journal of Applied Electrochemistry 2005 ... First Sealed Nickel Iron Battery Design Successful. (Shows that NiFe cells can be sealed like rechargeable flashlight batteries.) (Shows that scienfic tests validate the long lifespan of NiFe cells.)(Shows that NiFe cells can be sealed like rechargeable flashlight batteries.) External Links http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel-iron_battery Wikipedia Article on NiFe Batteries Hosted by the Nickel-Iron Battery Association Open to all Nickel Iron battery manufacturers and suppliers worldwide. There is no charge to post your commercial NiFe supply webpage. -we are looking for modern NiFe battery research links ... we can post your research results. To join email -we are looking for modern NiFe battery research links ... we can post your research results.To join email isoutar@microsec.net Donations If you value this site please consider making a small donation ($5 or less) to help cover the server costs. Site Updated August 24, 2012 Other Sites by Ian Soutar ... http://microsec.net http://radiation-hormesis.com http://radiant-beads.com http://nickel-iron-battery.com Number of visits to this site ... Number of visits to this site ... |
Nearly 42,000 calls to Pennsylvania’s child abuse hotline went unanswered in 2015, an interim audit by state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s office has found. The report, released Tuesday, said auditors “identified an alarming rate of calls to ChildLine not answered by (state Department of Human Services) caseworkers in 2015, along with inadequate staffing for the hotline and a severe lack of monitoring of hotline calls, thereby putting abused children further at risk.” DePasquale discussed the findings during a news conference at the Capitol. While the state Department of Human Services, which oversees ChildLine, appears to be aware of these issues, the report said the department isn’t “addressing the issues quickly enough.” DePasquale announced the audit in December as a measure to evaluate how the changes to the state’s Child Protective Services Law are impacting ChildLine. Spurred in part by the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse case, amendments to better protect children from predators took effect in January 2015. However, evidence in February 2015 showed that the state’s systems weren’t able to handle the resulting workload. At that time, PennLive reported on calls going unanswered at ChildLine and workers being overloaded with applications for child abuse clearances. Employees processing clearance requests said they were forced to work overtime to chip away at the backlog, and a few said their family life and health suffered for it. DePasquale’s interim audit — which includes all of 2014 and 2015 and part of 2016 — showed that some of these issues continued well through the past year. While DHS’ management aimed to have, at most, 4 percent of ChildLine calls go unanswered, the audit found 22 percent, or 41,990, of the calls to the hotline weren’t answered in 2015. There also were long wait times, the report said, with one caller waiting 51 minutes before receiving an answer. That was the longest wait time for a call that was eventually answered in 2015, in comparison to 48 minutes in 2014. The state Department of Human Services, according to the report, blamed the high number of unanswered calls and long waits mainly on the amendments to the child protection laws, as well as the implementation of the state’s new Child Welfare Information Solutions system in December 2014. The report also found that ChildLine wasn’t adequately staffed for the call volumes it was receiving. While ChildLine’s staffing increased throughout the audit period, “the number of unanswered calls also increased while the number of calls answered decreased,” the report said. According to the report, DHS said that when there weren’t enough hotline caseworkers to increase the minimum staffing levels from 2014 until October 2015, preplanned overtime was used to provide more coverage. “As additional staff were brought on,” the report stated, “the mandatory overtime was decreased instead of increasing the minimums because the overtime resulted in a higher turnover rate, which exacerbated the situation.” Julianne Mattera writes for pennlive.com. |
Federal affidavit says employees carried duffels containing bags of the drug into airport and handed them to passengers who had been through TSA checkpoints Southwest Airlines baggage handlers took part in a marijuana distribution operation that stretched from Oakland, California, to Little Rock, Arkansas, a recently unsealed federal affidavit alleged. Nine of the accused have been arrested, two are serving sentences for other crimes, and three are still at large. The operation, the Drug Enforcement Agency said in its statement, allowed the baggage handlers – who weren’t required to go through a full security screening – to carry duffel bags and backpacks filled with plastic bags of the drug into the Oakland airport, where they handed them off to passengers who had already been through TSA checkpoints. The passengers then flew to cities including Little Rock and New Orleans, where they passed off the bags. At the center of the investigation are three Southwest employees: Kenneth Fleming, 32, Michael Vindeau, 28, and Keith Mayfield, 34, all Oakland-native baggage handlers. Mayfield’s financial records “show activity consistent with money laundering”, according to the DEA. The most important non-Southwest partner in the operation, according to the affidavit, appears to be Donald Holland, who claimed to be an account executive at Lathrop, California-based A&L Investments (investigators have cast doubt on this claim) and had a prior arrest in 2009 for possession of 2kg (4.5lb) of cocaine. The affidavit said in 2012 Holland had his Bentley Flying Spur seized after it was used to transport marijuana across state lines. The documents set forth in the DEA statement include several photos. One picture, taken on the occasion of Holland’s 40th birthday, is said to include two of the other defendants in the case together at a Florida mansion; another of the accused conspirators, Travon Baker, allegedly posted photos of stacks of cash and jewelry to Instagram using hashtags including #drugmoney. Southwest Airlines said that it was working with the DEA. “We are fully cooperating with authorities and will continue to work with law enforcement, airport authorities, and our security partners to perform due diligence in upholding high security standards,” wrote a spokeswoman in a statement to the Guardian. The legality of marijuana in particular now varies so wildly from state to state that the TSA simply says it does not search travelers for drugs, though it doesn’t give them back if it finds them in the course of a screening. California, where the operation originated, has historically lax enforcement of its marijuana laws, and the laws themselves have become less strict over time. |
Advent is about to begin. What do the Church's official documents say about this season? 10 Things You Need to Know About Advent Advent begins on Sunday, December 1st. Most of us have an intuitive understanding of Advent, based on experience, but what do the Church's official documents actually say about Advent? Here are some of the basic questions and (official!) answers about Advent. Some of the answers are surprising! Here we go . . . 1. What Is the Purpose of Advent? Advent is a season on the Church's liturgical calendar--specifically, it is as season on the calendar of the Latin Church, which is the largest Church in communion with the pope. Other Catholic Churches--as well as many non-Catholic churches--have their own celebration of Advent. According to the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar: Advent has a twofold character: as a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ's first coming to us is remembered; as a season when that remembrance directs the mind and heart to await Christ's Second Coming at the end of time. Advent is thus a period for devout and joyful expectation [Norms 39]. We tend to think of Advent only as the season in which we prepare for Christmas, or the First Coming of Christ, but as the General Norms point out, it is important that we also remember it as a celebration in which we look forward to the Second Coming of Christ. Properly speaking, Advent is a season that brings to mind the Two Comings of Christ. 2. What Liturgical Colors Are Used in Advent? Particular days and certain types of celebrations can have their own colors (e.g., red for martyrs, black or white at funerals), but the normal color for Advent is violet. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal provides: The color violet or purple is used in Advent and Lent. It may also be worn in Offices and Masses for the Dead [346d]. In many places, there is a notable exception for the Third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday: The color rose may be used, where it is the practice, on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) and on Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent) [GIRM 346f]. 3. Is Advent a Penitential Season? We often think of Advent as a penitential season because the liturgical color for Advent is violet, like the color of Lent, which is a penitential season. However, in reality, Advent is not a penitential season. Surprise! According to the Code of Canon Law: Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent. Although local authorities can establish additional penitential days, this is a complete listing of the penitential days and times of the Latin Church as a whole, and Advent is not one of them. 4. When Does Advent Begin and End? According to the General Norms: Advent begins with evening prayer I of the Sunday falling on or closest to 30 November and ends before evening prayer I of Christmas [Norms 40]. The Sunday on or closest to November 30 can range between November 27 and December 3, depending on the year. In the case of a Sunday, Evening Prayer I is said on the evening of the preceding day (Saturday). According to the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours: 96. Evening prayer, celebrated immediately before Mass, is joined to it in the same way as morning prayer. Evening prayer I of solemnities, Sundays, or feasts of the Lord falling on Sundays may not be celebrated until after Mass of the preceding day or Saturday. This means that Advent begins on the evening of a Saturday falling between November 26 and December 2 (inclusive), and it ends on the evening of December 24th, which holds Evening Prayer I of Christmas (December 25th). 5. What Is the Role of Sundays in Advent? There are four Sundays of Advent. The General Norms state: The Sundays of this season are named the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Sundays of Advent [Norms 41]. We have already mentioned that the Third Sunday of Advent has a special name--Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is the Latin word for "Rejoice," which is the first word of the introit of the Mass for this day. The Church ascribes particular importance to these Sundays, and they take precedence over other liturgical celebrations. Thus the General Norms state: Because of its special importance, the Sunday celebration gives way only to solemnities or feasts of the Lord. The Sundays of the seasons of Advent, Lent, and Easter, however, take precedence over all solemnities and feasts of the Lord. Solemnities occuring on these Sundays are observed on the Saturdays preceding [Norms 5]. You also cannot celebrate Funeral Masses on the Sundays of Advent: Among the Masses for the Dead, the Funeral Mass holds first place. It may be celebrated on any day except for Solemnities that are Holydays of Obligation, Thursday of Holy Week, the Paschal Triduum, and the Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Easter, with due regard also for all the other requirements of the norm of the law [GIRM 380]. 6. What Happens on Weekdays in Advent? It is especially recommended that homilies be given on the weekdays of Advent. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) states: On Sundays and Holydays of Obligation there is to be a Homily at every Mass that is celebrated with the people attending and it may not be omitted without a grave reason. On other days it is recommended, especially on the weekdays of Advent, Lent and Easter Time, as well as on other festive days and occasions when the people come to church in greater numbers [GIRM 66]. The General Norms also point out a special role for the weekdays of the week preceding Christmas: The weekdays from 17 December to 24 December inclusive serve to prepare more directly for the Lord's birth [Norms 41]. This special role is illustrated, for example, by the Scripture readings used in the liturgy on these days. 7. How Are Churches Decorated During Advent? The General Instruction of the Roman Missal notes: During Advent the floral decoration of the altar should be marked by a moderation suited to the character of this time of year, without expressing in anticipation the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord. During Lent it is forbidden for the altar to be decorated with flowers. Exceptions, however, are Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), Solemnities, and Feasts [GIRM 305]. 8. How Is Music Performed During Advent? The General Instruction of the Roman Missal notes: In Advent the use of the organ and other musical instruments should be marked by a moderation suited to the character of this time of year, without expressing in anticipation the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord. In Lent the playing of the organ and musical instruments is allowed only in order to support the singing. Exceptions, however, are Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), Solemnities, and Feasts [GIRM 313]. 9. Is the Gloria Said or Sung During Advent? Neither. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal provides: [The Gloria or "Glory to God in the highest"] is sung or said on Sundays outside Advent and Lent, and also on Solemnities and Feasts, and at particular celebrations of a more solemn character [GIRM 53]. 10. What Private Devotions Can We Use to Grow Closer to God During Advent? There are a variety of private devotions that the Church has recognized for use during Advent. The most famous is the Advent Wreath. You can read about these devotions in the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (starting at no. 96). What Now? If you like the information I've presented here, you should join my Secret Information Club. If you're not familiar with it, the Secret Information Club is a free service that I operate by email. I send out information on a variety of fascinating topics connected with the Catholic faith. In fact, the very first thing you’ll get if you sign up is information about what Pope Benedict says about the book of Revelation. He has a lot of interesting things to say! If you’d like to find out what they are, just sign up at www.SecretInfoClub.com or use this handy sign-up form: Just email me at jimmy@secretinfoclub.com if you have any difficulty. In the meantime, what do you think? |
EDITOR’S UPDATE: The Nachos Rio Grande Challenge will no longer be available after September 30, 2017. However, we’ll be on the lookout for future “Secret Menu” offerings rumored for the Magic Kingdom! What’s that? You’ve never heard of the Nachos Rio Grande Challenge at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom? Yeah, don’t feel bad. ‘Cause I’d never heard of it either until just a couple of weeks ago! ;-D But I was so excited when one of our readers asked about the “giant nachos” at Pecos Bill’s. And I was even more excited when I headed over to check them out! (Luckily, they just started these a couple of months ago, and they weren’t publicized anywhere…so I can sort of forgive myself that I didn’t know about them til now.) As is the case with other “challenges” around Disney World — like the Kitchen Sink Sundae at Beaches and Cream — this one is pricey…and meant to enjoy with a crowd! And I was so excited to find an awesome family to share them with me on my visit! There’s a lot of hoopla that accompanies ordering the Nachos Rio Grande, and I wanted you to see it firsthand! Check it out!! OK, the video shows EVERYTHING (so go watch it! And subscribe to our channel! ;-D), but here’s the gist! To get the Nachos Rio Grande, you need to arrive between 3 and 6PM at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland. Let a cast member know you’d like to order the secret Nachos, and the whole restaurant will start buzzing with excitement! I quickly found out that the Nachos serve 6-8 people — or MORE — and the order brings with it a whole “VIP experience” at Pecos Bill’s. After you order (and pay the astronomical $90 price tag — yeah, you REALLY have to want some big nachos to pay that much), cast members will don their special cowboy hats and escort you back to a reserved table set with pioneer-style tin plates and checkered napkins. Once seated, cast members will bring in pitchers of your chosen drinks (non-alcoholic of course), and then the fun begins! Very soon, the WHOLE RESTAURANT (yeah — that’s no joke — it’s pretty much every cast member in the place) walks from the kitchen to your table in a huge parade processional of ringing cowbells and cheers! It’s a serious spectacle, and so much fun! (The best part is — they seem to be having just as much fun as you are!) The huge Nachos are brought your VIP table in a mini covered wagon along with big tins of green and red salsa, and queso. As you can see, the nachos are HUGE! Thankfully, on my visit I had a team of volunteer eaters helping me out!! Once you’ve conquered the Nachos Rio Grande challenge, eaters are treated to a fun ceremony featuring the Pecos Bill Code of the West, an official certificate, and cowboy hats and sheriff badges for everyone in the party. The $90 price tag is high (if you’re feeding 8 people, it works out to about $11.25 per person), but the VIP treatment (cast members are available to get anything you need throughout the meal, so it’s kind of like a table-service experience in a counter-service restaurant) and fun experience is very unique and one of a kind. The nachos aren’t bad, either! ;-D Typical counter service fare, but still a good meal for the family. Want more great scoops, tips, and Disney dining info?? Subscribe to our DFB YouTube Channel today, and never miss a single DFB food and drink adventure! We’re not sure how long the Nachos Rio Grande Challenge will be available at Pecos Bill’s, and it’s definitely a SECRET menu item. But if you’ve got a crowd at the Magic Kingdom, it’s worth considering! |
Big Spring, Texas (CNN) -- Desperate times call for a tall, cool glass of creativity in this patch of West Texas where water is scarce and quickly disappearing. But a plan to pump millions of new gallons of drinking water into the system has many people across West Texas holding their noses. This week construction started on a $13 million water-reclamation facility. That's a fancy way of describing a treatment plant that will turn sewage wastewater into drinking water. "That's not something I even want to think about," said Eunice Thixton, a Big Spring resident. "It really doesn't sound too good." There are three major reservoirs that provide drinking water for half a million people who live around Midland, Texas. But the drought is draining those lakes and threatens to create major water shortages in the months ahead. This is an age-old problem in the dust-hardened landscape of West Texas. For decades, oil has flowed strongly out of the ground here, but the hunt for water is a more difficult game. This is where John Grant comes in. He's the director of the Colorado River Municipal Water District, a government agency providing water for cities and towns including Odessa, Midland, Stanton, Big Spring and Snyder. Grant is essentially the salesman of the water-reclamation project. Basically he has to reassure people they're not going to be drinking their own urine. "I see a lot of humor in it," Grant said. "There was a fella over in Midland that I heard made the comment that at least he gets to drink his beer twice now." Twelve years ago, Grant thought it was crucial to develop new sources of drinking water. Water reclamation was gaining in popularity; the specially treated wastewater is most often used to supply water for industrial uses and watering landscapes, like golf courses. Grant says water-reclamation technology has improved greatly and will be a vital part of providing drinking water for parts of the country struggling to keep reservoirs full. The water-reclamation process involves a complex series of treatment. The water will be disinfected, de-mineralized, disinfected again and mixed with water from the reservoir and then re-treated again. "We live in a drought-prone area. You need to look at other alternatives, and that's the unique thing about this," said Grant. One of the reservoirs that provide water is EV Spence near the town of Robert Lee. The lake is on the only source of drinking water for the town of 1,000 people. That lake is at less than 1% of capacity. Deep, dried-out crevices are easily visible across the lake bottom. When full, the water in the EV Spence Reservoir can be 83 feet deep. Today, there are only splotches of water across the dried-out land. Robert Lee Mayor John Jacobs says the lake will stop providing water in the next six months. He doesn't have the budget to build a water-reclamation plant, but the mayor wishes he could build one of these plants even if it doesn't sit well with residents. "I think that'll be the coming for all of us in the desert Southwest," Jacobs said. "Turn the water off and see how long it takes for people to get thirsty." The Big Spring Water Reclamation Plant will be finished by late next year. John Grant says the plant will provide 2 million gallons of new water for his sprawling district. On average, the Colorado River Municipal Water District provides 65 million gallons of water every day. But if drought conditions continue into next year, that water supply will have to be cut down to about 45 million gallons a day. There are also plans to develop two other water reclamation plants in the area, and Grant says when all three plants are finished, they could provide 20% of the area's drinking water. Grant has heard all the jokes such as, "People are drinking pee." And they get more unappealing than that one. But not only does Grant say the water will be safe to drink, he says it will actually taste better than West Texas' notoriously bad-tasting water. "It will actually go through three water treatment processes before it gets back into the water system," Grant said. "It really will be good-quality water." Grant says he'll be more than happy to be the first person in West Texas to pour himself a cold glass of wastewater-turned-drinking-water. |
Comparing death rates for young people in the rich world ADOLESCENCE can be tedious all over the world. But in some countries it is dangerous too. Even within the rich world mortality rates for young people vary widely, as do the factors explaining these rates, according to data collected by George Patton of the University of Melbourne for an article published in the Lancet on April 25th. In Greece, suicides are rare but car accidents are common. In Finland it is the other way round. America stands out for having the highest mortality rate. It has a particularly high rate of traffic deaths, despite laws that ban drinking until 21. Where America is truly exceptional, however, is in its violence. At 8.9 per 100,000 population, the rate of violent death (such as from homicide or accidental shooting) is 18 times higher than in Britain. For young American men the risk is much higher. The death rate from homicide for 20-24 year olds is a staggering 28 per 100,000 population. |
Please enable Javascript to watch this video OKLAHOMA CITY - While the Oklahoma City Public School District is facing budget cuts due to a revenue failure, now parents and city leaders are speaking out about the proposed plan to close several schools. On Monday, district officials announced several schools in northeast Oklahoma City may be closed as a way to save the district money. Superintendent Aurora Lora announced the plan to close Moon Academy, Edgemere Elementary, Gatewood Elementary, Johnson Elementary and Green Pastures Elementary in Spencer. “I think it’s devastating to the families and students especially,” said Lindsay Lange, the PTA president at Edgemere Elementary School. Lange said she doesn't want to move her son from the school. “He’s loved it. He thrives here,” she said. She’s furious over the Oklahoma City School District’s recommendation to close the school. What’s worse, she said, is the millions of taxpayer dollars spent on renovations. “I don’t have words. Just sick to my stomach,” she said. Edgemere was one of several schools in the district given taxpayer money for improvements as part of the Maps for Kid’s Project. “The city invested $3.3 million for Edgemere School. There is a public school bond that has $2 million slated for a new gymnasium, and that design process is underway and the design has been approved just last month,” said Ed Shadid, Ward 2 Councilman. If the school board approves the closure, the district would have to either build a gym at Edgemere for another purpose or the money would go back to taxpayers. The MAPS money, however, is already spent. Others schools recommended for closure are facing the same reality. FD moon received $41,000, while Gatewood Elementary received $2.78 million. Green Pastures Elementary received $4.3 million, and Johnson Elementary received $2 million. It is money that has already been spent on schools that may soon be empty. “I think the bottom line is this legislature has to be held accountable for leading the county in cuts to education over the last five years. They are like spoiled children who don’t want to do their jobs, and we have to hold them accountable to do their work. They have to do their jobs,” Shadid said. Lange said she’s committed to her job, working to make sure the district realizes what Edgemere contributes. “We can make a difference if they just give us a chance. We do things for kids that other schools don’t like the after-school program, outside mentoring, the Oklahoman and whiz kids,” Lange said. A parent informational meeting is scheduled for 7:30 pm. March 28 at Edgemere. |
Catherine Kieu Garden Grove Police Department/CBS Los Angeles (CBS) SANTA ANA, Calif. - Catherine Kieu, a Calif. woman, has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for cutting off her husband's penis and then running it through a garbage disposal, according to CBS Los Angeles. Kieu, 50, was reportedly convicted in April of torture and aggravated mayhem for the attack that took place in July 2011. The station reports prosecutors say Kieu got into an argument with the victim at their home before she slipped sleeping spills into her husband's soup. Once he fell asleep, Kieu allegedly tied him up, then woke him and cut off his genitals with a 10-inch kitchen knife. Kieu reportedly threw the body parts in the garbage disposal and then called 911 to tell cops the victim "deserved it," police said. The victim, whose name has not been released, was immediately taken to the hospital and underwent surgery. The couple was reportedly going through a divorce when the incident happened. The report says Kieu will be eligible for parole after seven years. Complete coverage of Catherine Kieu on Crimesider |
BANGALORE/MANGALORE: Railway minister DV Sadananda Gowda favours 'Metro man' E Sreedharan to head an expert committee to recommend rail reforms and innovation.After meeting officials and people's representatives in Bangalore on Sunday, the minister said he will constitute the committee after seeking the PM's approval. He said the country needs experts like Sreedharan to modernize the department.The minister hasn't yet spoken to Sreedharan, 81, a retired Indian Engineering Service officer who effectively helmed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation for 17 years.Giving a sneak preview into the upcoming rail budget, the minister said he will stay clear of populism and regionalism, instead focus on expediting the current projects. Besides safety, service, security and speed, the minister said he'd like to put an end to the ticket-booking racket.Gowda told TOI in Mangaore on Saturday that as per the data furnished by Southern Railways, eight major projects in Tamil Nadu and two in Kerala must be completed forthwith. He hinted that budgetary allocations during the UPA's rule were measly. For instance, he said, the interim budget had set aside Rs 112 crore for projects that cost Rs 6,520 crore, and earmarked a shoestring outlay in 18 track-doubling projects.The minister said his aim is to reduce the average implementation time of a railway project from 50 years to 30, and this requires a combination of modernization, fund infusion and strict timelines. "Each railway zone chief has been asked to submit a two-page priority list," he said.Gowda admitted that the expectations, especially from Karnataka, are high, and he vowed to work 24x7 round the year in a bid to fulfil them. He spoke of a Chennai-Bangalore-Mangalore rail corridor to boost trade. "Karnataka's only full-fledged port, Mangalore, requires better rail link," he said.He termed his predecessor M Mallikarjuna Kharge's announcement of a fare hike towards the fag-end of the UPA's rule - 10% on fare and 5% on freight - a burden. "I know once I begin to implement it, there will be criticism."On privatization, he admitted the railways need more resources, but they have to work out the modalities. "All my moves will be calculated. There won't be hurried decisions," he said. |
An estimated 2,000 Palestinian political prisoners are on an open-ended hunger strike that began on 17 April, Palestinian Prisoners’ Day. The strike is a direct challenge to Israel’s regime of arrest and detention to try to break the Palestinian struggle for liberation. Prisoners are specifically calling for a resumption of family visits and an end to the widespread, abusive practices of administrative detention — imprisonment without charge or trial — and solitary confinement. Ahmad Saadat, Palestinian parliamentarian and leader of the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, is currently on hunger strike after more than three years of solitary confinement. Israel currently holds nearly 20 percent of the 132 Palestinian Legislative Council members in administrative detention. Two prisoners, Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahleh, both being held without charge or trial, are on the brink of death after 68 days of hunger strike. Amnesty International has issued a call for urgent action to save Diab and Halahleh’s lives. Several other prisoners have also been on hunger strike for weeks and have been transferred to a prison clinic. Some, like Biab and Halahleh, have not been allowed to see independent doctors. Today, Addameer and Physicians for Human Rights - Israel issued an urgent, joint statement regarding the grave condition of Thaer Halahleh, Bilal Diab and a third hunger striker, Hassan Safadi, whom they said are being subjected to “medical negligence” by Israeli authorities. In contrast to the deafening silence from world media and governments, there has been widespread support for the mass hunger strike throughout historic Palestine and in exile. Nearly all Palestinian families living under Israeli occupation have been affected by Israel’s regime of arrest and detention and Palestinian political prisoners are celebrated as national heroes. Demonstration in front of Ramle prison in Israel, 3 May. JC ActiveStills Palestinian protesters rally in support of political prisoners outside Ramle prison in Israel, 3 May. Mahfouz Abu Turk APA images Some of the 17 activists arrested at a demonstration in support of hunger striking prisoners outside Ramle prison are brought to court in Petach Tikva near Tel Aviv, 4 May. Oren Ziv ActiveStills Posters of hunger striking Palestinian political prisoners at a solidarity tent in Gaza City, 4 May. Majdi Fathi APA images Women on solidarity hunger strike at the sit-in tent in Gaza City, 4 May. Ali Jadallah APA images A Palestinian woman on solidarity hunger strike at the Gaza City sit-in tent receives medical attention, 3 May. Anne Paq ActiveStills An artist paints a mural at a solidarity tent in Gaza City, 30 April. Mohammed Asad APA images A candlelight vigil in solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners, Gaza City, 28 April. Mohammed Asad APA images Children participate in a rally in support of the mass hunger strike in Gaza City, 3 May. Naaman Omar APA images A rally in support of Palestinian prisoners in Ramallah, 29 April. Issam Rimawi APA images Palestinians perform Friday prayers during a protest in support of political prisoners in Ramallah, 4 May. Issam Rimawi APA images Palestinian Christians attend a special service in the West Bank city of Ramallah in support of hunger striking prisoners. Issam Rimawi APA images Hamas supporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah call for the release of Palestinian prisoners, 5 May. Issam Rimawi APA images A Palestinian woman waves a flag atop an Israeli military vehicle at a protest outside Ofer military prison near the West Bank city of Ramallah, 1 May. Issam Rimawi APA images A Palestinian man throws stones at Israeli soldiers at Qalandiya checkpoint in the West Bank during a demonstration in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners, 4 May. Issam Rimawi APA images Relatives of Jordanian prisoners in Israeli jails take call for their release in Amman, 3 May. Mohammad Abu Ghosh Xinhua/Zumapress A Palestinian woman displays a photo of a jailed relative during a protest in front of the Red Cross in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, 30 April. Mahfouz Abu Turk APA images Palestinians hold a rally in support of prisoners in the Old City of Jerusalem. Mahfouz Abu Turk APA images A demonstration in the city center of West Bank city of Nablus in support of hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners, 3 May. Ahmad Al-Bazz ActiveStills Khader Adnan (center), who was on hunger strike for 66 days earlier this year, shows his support for the mass hunger strike at An-Najah National University, Nablus, 3 May. Ahmad Al-Bazz ActiveStills A rally in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank city of Nablus, 3 May. Wagdi Eshtayeh APA images |
Erlsom is an Erlang library to parse (and generate) XML documents. Erlsom can be used in a couple of very different modes: As a SAX parser. This is a more or less standardized model (see http://www.saxproject.org/apidoc/org/xml/sax/ContentHandler.html) for parsing XML. Every time the parser has processed a meaningful part of the XML document (such as a start tag), it will tell your application about this. The application can process this information (potentially in parallel) while the parser continues to parse the rest of the document. The SAX parser will allow you to efficiently parse XML documents of arbitrary size, but it may take some time to get used to it. If you invest some effort, you may find that it fits very well with the Erlang programming model (personally I have always been very happy about my choice to use a SAX parser as the basis for the rest of Erlsom). As a simple sort of DOM parser. Erlsom can translate your XML to the ‘simple form’ that is used by Xmerl. This is a form that is easy to understand, but you have to search your way through the output to get to the information that you need. As a ‘data binder’ Erlsom can translate the XML document to an Erlang data structure that corresponds to an XML Schema. It has the advantage over the SAX parser that it validates the XML document, and that you know exactly what the layout of the output will be. This makes it easy to access the elements that you need in a very direct way. (See http://www.rpbourret.com/xml/XMLDataBinding.htm for a general description of XML data binding.) If the document is too big to fit into memory, or if the document arrives in some kind of data stream, it can be passed to the parser in blocks of arbitrary size. The parser can work directly on binaries. There is no need to transform binaries to lists before passing the data to Erlsom. Using binaries as input has a positive effect on the memory usage and on the speed (provided that you are using Erlang 12B or later - if you are using an older Erlang version the speed will be better if you transform binaries to lists). The binaries can be latin-1, utf-8 or utf-16 encoded. The parser has an option to produce output in binary form (only the character data: names of elements and attributes are always strings). This may be convenient if you want to minimize the memory usage, and/or if you need the result in binary format for further processing. Note that it will slow down the parser slightly. If you select this option the encoding of the result will be utf-8 (irrespective of the encoding of the input document). Read the documentation |
By Stephen Lendman BDS activism has had remarkable successes since its July 2005 founding - coincidentally around the same time I began writing in retirement at age 70. I’m a proud cultural BDS member. I urge everyone to get involved for justice. Its global boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign is the most effective form of civil resistance against longstanding Israeli occupation harshness, colonialism, and apartheid - continuing without letup until Palestinian liberation is finally achieved. Dramatically declining Israeli military exports represent one of many BDS success stories - down 53% from their 2012 level (from $7.5 to $5.5 billion in 2014 - and an estimated $4 - 4.5 billion in 2015). Last week, heads of Israel’s four leading defense companies requested an urgent meeting with Netanyahu to discuss their “significant crisis.” “It has been several years since the IDF and the Ministry of Defense had a multiyear plan,” they said. “Meanwhile, there have been major changes in the defense sector smaller budgets, more competition, less desire for Israeli-made products, and the growing demands to transfer know-how and work abroad.” “The defense industry in Israel is in the midst of a major crisis,” they stressed. Exports are plunging. Budget priorities are hurting them, they added. “The current budget and recent events will not enable the Ministry of Defense and the IDF to be the wind in our sails…Countries are buying fewer weapons.” Increasingly, Israel’s are less desirable. Their purchase supports apartheid. BDS activism campaigns hard against military trade with Israel. Growing numbers of foreign political parties and trade unions called for ending military ties with a nation persecuting Arabs for not being Jews. According to BDS National Committee general coordinator Mahmoud Nawajaa, “Israeli military companies market their products on the basis of their successful use in Israel’s massacres of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians, yet it now seems that growing public awareness of and opposition to Israel’s war crimes are starting to hit Israel’s military exports.” “Governments must meet their legal obligation not to provide aid or assistance and, on the contrary, to act to put an end to Israel’s violations of international law by implementing a military embargo on Israel as was done against apartheid South Africa.” “Israel is currently operating a shoot to kill policy and brutally repressing Palestinian protests against its regime of occupation and apartheid.” “Israel’s ability to oppress Palestinians depends on the willingness of governments and companies around the world to cooperate with Israel’s military, weapons industry and military research institutions.” Six Nobel laureates urged support for a military embargo, affecting exports and imports. US policy is disturbingly polar opposite, providing Israel with billions of dollars annually and much more, intending to increase military aid by hundreds of millions of dollars more. Two nations support each other’s killing machines, in lockstep against peace, stability, equity and justice - run by fascist lunatics, waging war on humanity, profiting from racist hate and human misery, monsters vital to stop. |
The UK is an extraordinary crucible of ideas, learning and creativity. We can celebrate difference and speak in harmony with many voices. We are enriched by Yorkshire’s writers and artists; by Northern Ireland’s poets; by the powerful contributions that post-war immigration has brought us. No part of the UK has made a greater contribution to the whole than Scotland – Adam Smith and James Boswell; JM Barrie and Arthur Conan Doyle; Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson; Muriel Spark and Carol Ann Duffy; Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith; Ludovic Kennedy and Andrew Marr; Billy Connolly and David Tennant; Armando Iannucci and Irvine Welsh. One reason for Britain’s exceptional creative and intellectual vitality is our genius for founding institutions that channel and foster our national talent. None of these bodies is more effective than the BBC. And tellingly, the BBC was founded and critically shaped by a young Scot of vision, a can-do engineer, a curmudgeonly son of the manse, John Reith. And it was that bold Scot who bequeathed the BBC an enduring conviction, a stubborn commitment to excellence and a lasting set of values. There would be many consequences if Scotland were to become independent but let us be clear what they would be for the BBC, and for broadcasting in Scotland and in the rest of the UK. The BBC, like other national institutions, would lose 10% of its income. The recent new obligations placed on the BBC – to fund World Service, S4C and other activities from the licence fee – will in short order take a further 15% out of the pot used for funding television, radio and online services. So in the space of just a few years, if Scotland became independent the BBC as we know it would effectively lose a quarter of its funding. Fundamental changes to BBC services would be unavoidable. The BBC buys programmes of distinction from other countries – most notably recently, from Scandinavia. So even with its diminished revenues, the BBC would no doubt buy some programmes from an independent Scotland. But as with other countries, only programmes in the “outstanding” category will be purchased. The bold assertion in the Scottish government’s white paper that a new Scottish public service broadcaster will work with the BBC in a programme-swapping joint venture is make-believe. A smaller BBC would no doubt make some programmes in and about Scotland, as it does in other countries, but this would be exceptional – unlike now, when as a matter of policy, a proportionate slice of its budget is spent in Scotland on programming for the whole UK. So if Scotland were independent, I am sorry to say, it would no longer be much reflected on TV screens and airwaves in the rest of the UK. Scotland’s new publicly funded broadcaster, the SBS, would have about a 10th of the BBC’s current budget. As in other countries that have a population of around 5 million, the SBS will tailor its programmes and services to its modest means. Like other broadcasters, I expect the SBS will want to acquire programmes from the BBC, not least those loved by Scottish audiences. The BBC is, thankfully, independent of government so whatever is asserted wishfully in the white paper, the BBC will have no alternative but to act in the interests of its licence payers and to seek the best possible commercial terms for the sale of its programmes in Scotland, not least because of the financial impoverishment it will just have suffered. And, of course, there may be commercial broadcasters in a new Scotland willing to pay more for the BBC’s most successful programmes than an impecunious SBS. Finally, as for the availability in Scotland of the BBC’s continuing services, there will be some transmission spillover at the border, and BBC channels and services will certainly be accessible more widely in Scotland, but encrypted and available only on commercial terms. One way or another, after independence, Scottish viewers would have to pay to receive BBC services. Those who will vote for independence identify and expect many gains. But many of the advantages that the most creative and inspiring talents in Scotland have enjoyed for 300 years – of making a massive impact on a big stage to global acclaim – will be lost. |
Jonahatin Morin, the creative director of Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs has just revealed some information about the minimum requirements for the game. According to his official twitter , Watch Dogs will not run on dual-core CPUs. That filters out almost half the processors (including the Intel’s “i3” series). He also said that any CPU that scores 9,000-10,000 on Intel’s PassMark would be able to run the game on Ultra and scores of 7,000 and higher would be capable to run the game on Medium-High settings (assuming all other requirements are fulfilled). As for RAM, the minimum RAM required to start game is 6GB. Any lower and you won’t be able to play. Answering a tweet if 4GB RAM was sufficient, he replied “The main issue is your ram. If you climb it up to 6 you should be able to run the game at low settings.“ Coming to GPU, he also said that “90% of the dev team runs on Nvidia Geforce 670, that will run Ultra if you have the CPU to match.”. These are some really intense requirements for a CPU considering the fact that a “mid-range” graphics card can run the game at Ultra. Now we just have to wait and see if the requirements are really worth it or a result of poor optimization…… Or maybe these are software limitations imposed by the developers for no apparent reason (Call of Duty Ghosts anyone!?). I guess we’ll find out soon It was announced earlier this week that Watch Dogs has gone gold and it is set to be launched on 27th May for PS4, Xbox One and PC. The Wii U version would arrive later this year although no exact date has been provided. This is without doubt, one of the most awaited game to come out this year, mainly due to the unique gamplay. Players will take the role of Aiden Pearce, a new type of vigilante who uses his hacking skills to control almost every element of Chicago. Thus using the surveillance systems, control systems etc to complete his task. |
Mitt Romney, you got some ‘splainin’ to do! That was the gist of President’s Obama’s broadside against Paul Ryan’s budget in a scorching address Tuesday in which the president dubbed the GOP plan the kind of “radical” “social Darwinism” that’s an affront to American values. He also noted conveniently for the assembled press that Mitt Romney has called Ryan’s plan “marvelous.” A word, the president added slyly, in a nod to Romney’s infamous common touch, that you not only don’t hear applied to budgets often, but that you also don’t hear often, period. Ordinarily, one would say it’s hard to imagine the West Wing’s glee when Ryan got his troops to walk the plank again and pass a fresh version of last year’s extreme, regressive blueprint. But, in fact, I can imagine it perfectly. I worked with many on the president’s senior team back when they were in the Clinton White House in the ’90s. So I can conjure up the frisson of excitement Obama economic adviser Gene Sperling felt when Ryan’s plan was unveiled, and then once more when the House passed it. The idea that Republicans were sticking their heads in the noose again had to seem like an unbelievable stroke of political luck. Luck that was only compounded by Mitt Romney’s full-throated endorsement of Ryan’s plan on the campaign trail. I can see Sperling calling in minions to prepare the killer analysis in Obama’s speech Tuesday that would pound home what is sure to be a Democratic mantra this year: all the things that could be bought with the $150,000 average annual tax cut that top American earners stand to get if Romney and Ryan have their way. It’s a pretty stunning list: “A year’s worth of prescription drug coverage for a senior citizen. Plus a new school computer lab. Plus a year of medical care for a returning veteran. Plus a medical research grant for a chronic disease. Plus a year’s salary for a firefighter or police officer. Plus a tax credit to make a year of college more affordable. Plus a year’s worth of financial aid.” Not to mention the phoniness of the GOP’s concern with debt and deficits, when the choices above reveal the party’s true priorities. I can see the focus group of independent voters reacting with shock and revulsion when they heard these comparisons. The thumbs-ups of David Axelrod and David Plouffe behind the two-way mirror as they texted White House speechwriters, “It’s a go.” What was unveiled with Obama’s powerful speech is nothing less than a replay of Bill Clinton’s reelection argument in 1996. Back then, a colorless GOP leader named Bob Dole was successfully lashed to revolutionary Newt Gingrich’s budget, which Democrats argued would ravage Medicare, Medicaid, education and the environment. Dole was morphed into Gingrich at least 125,000 times in negative ads (according to Gingrich’s later tally for me), killing Dole with independents and sullying Gingrich’s brand forever. Now Romney, who will start this fight with the highest negatives (over 50%) of any general-election contender in memory, confronts a political play that the president’s men invented and have been honing for 15 years. None of this changes the fact that the election will be close. It starts at roughly 45-45, with just a small slice of the electorate up for grabs. Those swing voters will almost certainly find Obama’s Romney-Ryan case compelling. Can Romney extricate himself from being tied to Ryan as Dole was to Gingrich? This kind of Houdini-style escape may be beyond even the skills of as brazen a flip-flopper as Romney, though it will be fun to watch him try. After all, if the man who was for the health-care mandate before he was against it turns out also to have been for the Ryan budget before he was against that, he’ll alienate his base in an attempt to woo the middle. Meanwhile, Romney’s support for Ryan will run in endless loops in the president’s and his super PAC’s ads, along with a devastating catalog of all of Romney’s other switcheroos over the years. The question is whether a sluggish economy and still-high unemployment can trump the vise Romney has stuck his head in by supporting Ryan. If no external shock intrudes — Europe’s debt crisis comes roaring back or Israel strikes Iran, for example — I’d bet not. Does any of this mean an Obama returned to office on these terms can make substantive progress in a second term? Perhaps. Clinton was poised to do big Nixon-to-China entitlement reforms with the GOP until the Lewinsky mess exploded. Obama, one assumes, won’t be facing such land mines. To be sure, the campaign will be ugly, and partisan feelings more bitter than ever by the end. But if one were inclined to hope, one would say that calling out and beating back the crazy rightward lurch of the modern GOP, as Obama has now decisively begun to do, may well be a prerequisite to some genuine problem-solving after November. Matt Miller, a co-host of public radio’s “Left, Right & Center,” writes a weekly online column for The Post. His e-mail address is mattino2@gmail.com. |
The trial of a prominent Chinese human rights lawyer has begun without prior public notice. Monday's development follows delayed proceedings in the case, which has prompted international concern after allegations that he had been tortured. Xie Yang, who had worked on numerous cases considered politically sensitive by China's ruling Communist Party, was among hundreds of legal staff and activists detained in a crackdown in the summer of 2015. "On May 8 at 9:30am, the trial of defendant Xie Yang opened. [He] is charged with inciting subversion of state power and disrupting court order," the Changsha Intermediate People's Court said in an online statement. The court also posted what appeared to be a transcript of opening proceedings. READ MORE: China's abandoned daughters search for their parents Last-minute delays or sudden announcements of sensitive trials are not uncommon, even though Chinese law requires courts to give a defendant's family and lawyers three days notice of any changes. On April 25, dozens of supporters and at least seven diplomats had gathered at the Changsha court in central Hunan province - a long way from Beijing and Shanghai - only to be told the trial was indefinitely postponed. Since they received no confirmation of the new trial date, diplomatic sources told AFP news agency they were not prepared to head to remote Changsha again to observe the trial. Local activists said in social media posts that they were "warned" on Sunday not to go to Changsha, without providing details about the warnings. A 'pattern of harassment' Xie says police have used "sleep deprivation, long interrogations, beatings, death threats, humiliations" on him, and the European Union has voiced concern over his case. Eleven countries, including Canada, Australia and Switzerland, have cited Xie's case in a letter to Beijing criticising China's detention practices. Xie's former lawyer, Chen Jiangang, was detained by authorities last week while he was vacationing with his family, prompting condemnation from the UN's human rights office. A UN statement on Friday said the move was part of a "continuing pattern of harassment of lawyers, through continued detention, without full due process". OPINION: China's new-found love for Confucius The vast majority of detained lawyers were defending citizens' basic economic, social and cultural rights, the UN said. Chen had remained vocal on Xie's case, drawing attention to his former client's allegations of torture, even after the Changsha court denied Xie his pick of defence and provided a court-appointed lawyer instead. In March, state media accused Chen along with another prominent rights lawyer, Jiang Tianyong, of fabricating detailed accounts of torture suffered by Xie Yang, saying they had made up "fake news" to grab international headlines. Chen at the time told Reuters that the accounts were genuine, saying he had interviewed Xie in rooms filled with cameras. Xie's new defence lawyers have not answered calls from AFP. |
Get the latest from TODAY Sign up for our newsletter Feb. 8, 2017, 8:28 PM GMT / Source: TODAY By Arin Greenwood College student Kayla Filoon was just sitting on the couch doing homework with her newly adopted shelter dog snuggled beside her when this beautiful photo was taken. It's the perfect illustration of true love. Russ (the dog) snuggles with his mom, college student Kayla Filoon, while she does homework. Courtesy of Erin McCarthy For more great stories to make you smile, be sure to like The Upside on Facebook. On a recent Wednesday, Filoon — a student at Temple University, in Philadelphia — was walking dogs at a local animal shelter. She spotted Russ, who'd come in as a stray, sitting calmly in his kennel. The young pit bull was sick with kennel cough. He had an eye infection and itchy skin, was underweight and his tail was bleeding. He was very still, and watching, "as if he knew I was going to be his mommy one day," Filoon told TODAY in an email. Russ in the shelter before he was adopted. Courtesy of Kayla Filoon Filoon brought Russ out into the shelter's yard to play. He walked well on the leash, and took treats gently from her hand. "And he would not stop cuddling with me," Filoon said. "I fell in love." Like so many who've been struck by Cupid's arrow, that night Filoon called her mom to say that she was smitten. She told her friends all about Russ, too. The next day, Filoon went back to the shelter to see Russ again. She took him out for a drive, and bought him some snacks from Chick-fil-A. He ate them, sitting in her lap, while the song "A Sky Full Of Stars" played on the radio. The lyrics seemed profound: Cause you're a sky full of stars, I'm gonna give you my heart... "I actually cried," said Filoon. "I knew it was meant to be." She drove back to the shelter, and put in an adoption application. That was about two weeks ago, and Russ hasn't left Filoon's side since. That magical photo of the two of them, which has now gone viral, was taken by a friend. Filoon, a sophomore studying human resource management, had been doing homework — completely unaware the picture was being taken. The photo (and its resonance) has been a nice surprise — not just for Filoon, but also for the shelter, since a picture like this does a lot to get out the message that shelters are full of pets just waiting to give and receive love. "We love seeing animals in their forever homes, knowing we helped create this perfect match," said Animal Care and Control Team Philly spokesperson Ame Dorminy. Russ' favorite thing is being up close to his mom. Courtesy of Kayla Filoon Russ gets a lot of medicated baths now to help his skin feel better. His kennel cough has cleared up. Now he sleeps in bed, goes on trips and walks around campus. And, of course, as often as he can — which is often — he is doing these things while pressed up close to Filoon. "He has not even been with me for two weeks yet, however the bond that we have is incredible," said Filoon. "He does not leave my side." |
Vladimir Mozhaitsev of Sport Express has called Alexey Shved and interviewed him for the newspaper issue that was out on September 7. Here goes the translation: Admit it, the bronze medal game against Argentina, when you scored 25 points and made the decisive three-pointer – it was your best game with the national team so far? I shouldn’t judge. I’m not separating my success from the team’s. Just trying to do my best in every game, to use every moment to the maximum. In the bronze medal game you have made six three-pointers, but were just 3 for 18 during the previous two playoff games. Why did it happen? Sometimes it happens. And there’s no use in looking for redeeming factors, something like we moved to another arena. I was doing the same things as always, it’s just that ball wouldn’t go through the rim. But at the same time I tried to make up for my misses by contributing in other areas – dished the ball, battled for the rebounds, was aggressive on defense. Do you have any superstitions, which help you predict a good or bad shooting night? Frankly, I do. But I will not tell you, or they will stop working. By now, when a month has passed since the Olympics – did it sink in what a historic success for Russia those bronze medals were? Of course it’s great that we managed to get to the podium for the first time in Russian history. Relatives, friends and acquaintances are still congratulating me on that. But life goes on. I hope the national team will have other great victories, and right now it’s time to get ready for the next season. A season that will be special for you, since you are making an NBA debut. How are you going to prepare for it? After the Olympics I was mostly having rest. I went to France. Right now I’m in Belgorod with my relatives. I’m going to America in about two weeks. Are you going to share a flight with Andrei Kirilenko, your teammate? I think it’s probably going to be different flights. Did Kirilenko give you any pieces of advice, as an older friend and the most experienced player on Minnesota’s roster – how to make a faster transition to the NBA, in terms of basketball and way of life? During the Olympics we have mostly talked about other things. While there, we were mostly worried about the national team. I’m sure that Andrei and I are going to have enough time to talk about the NBA in future. How would you describe Minnesota’s playing style? We have a very young team. I think we are going to play fast and exciting basketball. And what can your say about your competitors at guard positions – Rubio, Barea, Roy, Ridnour? They are great players. Anyway, I need to focus on showing my best skills in the first place. Did you talk with head coach Rick Adelman about your role on the team? Not yet. We will talk when I get to the US. When you visited Minneapolis in summer, before the Olympics, did you manage to see the city? Yes, and I’ve liked everything a lot. But I didn’t do anything about my place yet; I will get to it when I arrive. I will go to the US with my brother, who speaks English perfectly, and he is going to help me make myself at home there. Don’t you plan to work on your English too? In general, I speak all right. I can do interviews without any problems. But, of course, I need to improve. Do you already which jersey number you’ll wear? Yes, number one. Advertisements |
Ever been to prison? No? Me neither. The closest I've come to hard time was probably the first night of my school exchange programme in Germany. They were a very nice family, don't get me wrong, and I'm sure they meant well, but in hindsight I have to question their decision to dump me in a basement guestroom, because all I had to keep me company from 8pm until the morning was a series of bizarre mechanical clanking noises and one tiny window near the ceiling. Oh, and a strangely reddened copy of Stephen King's "Misery". Eat your heart out, Tim Robbins. So I don't know much about prisons, and that's evident from my first six or seven hours playing Prison Architect. My save game folder is littered with unfinished facilities, all of which started brightly and then fell apart quickly as I struggled to scale them to match the influx of new prisoners or cope with ever-diminishing funds. There's Unshawshank, where I built loads of rooms and then realised they were too small to act as holding cells or offices. There's Pentonfail, where I built a storage room too far from food deliveries and the kitchen/canteen, leading to huge lead times for meals and inevitable violence. And there's Unleavenedworth, where I tried to anticipate my future needs by building giant, immaculate cell blocks... and then ran out of funds. So I guess I still don't know much about prisons, but I am learning. And it's inevitable that there's a lot of trial and error - the Prison Architect alpha, which is available now if you pledge $30 or more towards the game's ongoing development, only provides one mission from the promised campaign mode, so once you've completed that it's straight into the sandbox, and the sandbox is pretty intimidating. Even the basics aren't super obvious. You have to lay down foundations, then install an entrance, then build interior walls, then assign room functions, then populate rooms with required objects, then hire staff, and so on. That's complex enough, but it's only once you've gotten your head around these things that you realise you should have been thinking about other things first, like where buildings and utilities are going to sit in relation to one another and to the main road, which is where supplies and prisoners are delivered. Prisoners arrive in hefty groups every 24 hours, and the tips you were given during the initial campaign introduction don't equip you terribly well either to cope with their needs or to imagine how the challenge will scale. It's suggested that you set up a holding cell, a kitchen, a canteen and a shower room, but that's about all there is for guidance, and you seem to run low on funds very quickly. All too often you stare at what you have, frown, and reach again for Create New Prison from the main menu. Fortunately, the Prison Architect alpha has really taken off, doing over $100k of business in less than a week, and that means you're not alone with your troubles. If you head to the online wiki (available to alpha members) you'll find a helpful tutorial and lots of useful tips. For example, you discover that if you click the Reports button in the bottom-right of the game screen and go to the Grants tab then you can immediately increase your funds to over $90,000 from $9950. This makes a considerable difference, but it isn't mentioned in the game at the moment unless you discover it by chance. The wiki and forum are growing all the time as players experiment with the many interwoven game systems that programmer Chris Delay has composed, and as the documentation improves so does your ability to plan your way through the sandbox mode. I'm on my eighth or ninth prison, and this one began with centralised storage, power and water provision, ample food and hygiene facilities, plenty of individual cells (as opposed to troublesome holding pens) and lots and lots of windows. Suddenly the routing for staff and guards is more efficient and prisoners are more sedate in general. Getting the player to understand basic stuff like this is what Introversion traditionally struggles to do with its games, so the alpha development model should be really helpful in the long run. There are already numerous usability issues in the alpha that could do with attention - like the Objects menu, which currently displays 35 icons in an apparently random order that makes it really hard to identify the thing you need. If Introversion was developing Prison Architect in isolation, you can imagine that menu making it into the shipping version unchanged. With alpha testers like me feeding back on it, the developers can consider whether to alter it before then rather than assuming that it's fine. Indeed, with alpha testers feeding back on the bits Introversion usually struggles with, Chris Delay and his colleagues can focus on what they are usually brilliant at: developing the systems. There's already talk of adding large-scale riots, organised escape attempts, and other events that will force you to think about managing your penitentiary as well as just building it. I'd much rather Introversion was working on stuff like that than trying to figure out where their game needs a bit more explaining. Delay loves designing and playing with systems - to the point where he freely admits he sometimes loses sight of how to bring them together into an entertaining game, as happened with the aborted Subversion. Having thousands of people tinkering alongside him this time, feeding back into the creative process, could help elevate Prison Architect into a really fantastic management simulation. For now, it's yet another entertaining oddity from one of the UK's most interesting indie developers. |
oregon state police Oregon State Police Capt. Jeff R. Lanz was charged Wednesday with official misconduct and third-degree theft, accused of misusing a state gas card on six occasions. (The Oregonian) An Oregon State Police captain Wednesday became only the second high-ranking official in the history of the agency to face criminal charges. Jeff R. Lanz, 39, of Albany, is accused of using a state-issued gas card on six occasions from last October to April to fuel his personal car. The value in each instance was less than $100, according to an information filed by the Linn County District Attorney's Office. Lanz faces six counts of first-degree official misconduct, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, and six counts of third-degree theft, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail. George Eder, Linn County deputy district attorney, said Lanz's arraignment was pending. Eder declined comment on whether Lanz had been arrested. So did the State Police. The Linn County Sheriff's Office said that as of Wednesday afternoon, Lanz had not been booked. Lanz's attorney, Michael Staropoli of Portland, didn't return telephone or email messages seeking comment. Lanz commanded the Office of Professional Responsibility. One of its principle duties is to conduct internal investigations of State Police employees. He was a lieutenant when he took over the office in July 2011 and won promotion to captain a year later. Besides internal affairs, his office handles personnel, training and risk management. Lanz, who joined the State Police in 1999, was put on paid administrative leave April 29. He continues to draw his monthly pay of $7,550, but his status is being assessed, according to Lt. Gregg Hastings, State Police spokesman. According to court records, Lanz has been sued by collection agencies three times the past three years in small claims court in Linn County. The nature of the claims, eventually dismissed, couldn't be immediately determined. The State Police so far have not released Lanz's application to join the agency. They also have yet to provide the agency's policies on gas card use, requested by The Oregonian last week. The State Police haven't faced such a circumstance in its command ranks for more than 20 years. Robert R. Moine, a major, was indicted in 1991 on bribery and official misconduct charges for taking gifts from developers and property owners leasing office space to the State Police. Moine was in charge of the leasing. He retired shortly before he was charged, was subsequently convicted, and sentenced to probation and fined $20,000. He was the first high-ranking official to be charged with criminal conduct in the history of the State Police, which was founded in 1931. In 2010, Anthony A. Atkins, a trooper in Hermiston, was charged with filing false time cards and misusing a state gas card. He was eventually convicted on two counts, but his punishment couldn't be immediately determined. He was investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility and was sentenced four months before Lanz took it over. -- Les Zaitz |
Over the past season in the Premier League, Olivier Giroud, Wayne Rooney, David Silva and Danny Ings all scored 10 goals from open play. Yet anyone who watched these players would probably characterise their playing styles as largely differing from one another, and would likely not consider them equally skilled at scoring goals. Obviously this is a bit of a contrived example – the idea that goals total does not fully describe a player isn’t a revolutionary thought. Quantitatively, however, it can be hard to put a finger on what exactly makes Giroud’s 10 goals different from Rooney’s or how much of Ings’ production we can expect to translate to his first season at Liverpool. One of the ways we can differentiate between how two players create and score their chances is by examining how those chances are created. In examining the origin of chances, I looked at 14,252 shots from open play over the past two seasons in the Barclays Premier League. Of these, 11,622 are given qualifiers in Opta’s data which indicate that they were assisted. At a glance, a league average assist rate of 81.55% seems rather high. Here it’s instructive to consider how the data is recorded. The qualifier for an assisted pass is given for any pass which precedes a shot directly. This means that there is little subjectivity at play – a player either received a pass and attempted a shot before they ceded possession of the ball, or they did not. However, it also means that passes which might not subjectively deem assists are given as such. Consider last season when Stoke City’s Eric Pieters’ header found Mame Biram Diouf on the edge of his own box following a Manchester City corner, before he embarked on a 70 metre solo run to score (see below). If we’re thinking of assists as passes which meaningfully contribute to a player’s ability to shoot, this does not meet our criterion. Fortunately Opta analysts also record a qualifier indicating whether an assist was ‘intentional’. This introduces an element of subjectivity into the data, as judgement of intentionality has no definitive marker in the way that a completed pass does. There are 5,935 shots from our sample which were deemed to have been intentionally assisted, for an intentional assist rate of 41.64%. Amongst 40+ shot seasons for players over the past two years, intentional assist rates range from 8% to 78% as opposed to 62-93% for all assists. Though there is certainly subjectivity involved in crediting intentional assists, the descriptive statistics surrounding intentional assists consistently capture what we’d think of as assist more accurately. With this in mind, my analysis from here will refer to intentional assists only. Looking at the rate at which a player’s shots are assisted allows us to characterise their playing style and contextualise raw shot numbers. Over the last two years, here are the top and bottom five players with at least 40 shots in a season ranked by the assist rate on their shots. Assisted shots: bottom five Player Team Year Shots Assisted % Andros Townsend Tottenham Hotspur 2013 49 8.16% Jason Puncheon Crystal Palace 2014 53 11.32% Adam Johnson Sunderland 2013 43 11.63% Charlie Adam Stoke City 2013 44 13.64% Riyad Mahrez Leicester City 2014 50 14.00% Assisted shots: top five Player Team Year Shots Assisted % Nikica Jelavic Hull City 2014 41 78.05% Graziano Pellè Southampton 2014 105 72.38% Kevin Nolan West Ham United 2013 41 70.73% Roberto Soldado Tottenham Hotspur 2013 44 70.45% Peter Crouch Stoke City 2014 45 66.67% Shots do not occur in a vacuum. In fact, assisted shots tend to be of higher quality and find the net more often than unassisted shots. The conversion rate of assisted shots from open play is 14.09%, more than double that of unassisted shots at 6.71%. Players with 40 or more shots in the Premier League, 2013/14 – 2014/15 This suggests that assists help put players in positions to take high quality shots. This information makes Olivier Giroud’s 10 goals from shots which were assisted 60% of the time look markedly different from Nacer Chadli’s 10 goals from shots assisted nearly half as often (32.56%). For a demonstration of how team environment matters to a high assist-rate player, look no further than Roberto Soldado. In his final year at Valencia, Soldado had 14 goals from open play and 24 in total, good for 3rd in the league amongst players not named Ronaldo or Messi. He did so being assisted on 72% of his shots, a rate higher than all but two players in the last two Premier League seasons. Though Valencia weren’t generating a vast percentage of their shots via assists (36.96%), in moving to Tottenham he joined a team assisting shots at a rate a full five percentage points lower in his first season at 31.79%. His assist rate stayed high at Tottenham at 70%, but, reliant on assists in a team not primarily concerned with generating them, his performance suffered. The quality of his assisted chances at Valencia, as measured by the average expected goal value for his assisted shots, was 0.194. At Spurs the following season, it dropped to 0.162, and his conversion rate on assisted shots plummeted from 22.22% at Valencia to a ghastly 6.45%. Though luck (both good at Valencia and bad at Spurs) had its role in Soldado’s precipitous drop-off, he seemed a mismatch for the offensive system at Tottenham from the start. We can also see the effects of within-team style changes on players who are dependent on assists. In the 2013/14 season Aaron Ramsey scored nine goals from open play. During this season, 54.76% of Ramsey’s shots were assisted, and Arsenal as a team assisted shots at the highest rate in the league (46.95%). In the most recent season (2014/15), however, Arsenal’s assisted shots moved nearer to the average rate over the two seasons, as they assisted on 40.12% of shots. Introducing a high-volume player in Alexis Sanchez who took a lot of unassisted shots certainly contributed to this. For Aaron Ramsey, this change in Arsenal’s source of shots (perhaps combined with his being deployed more on the right rather than centrally) meant being forced to create more shots unassisted, and his goalscoring dropped off in turn. A case to watch this season will be that of Christian Benteke. For the past two years, Benteke’s assisted rates of 60% and 61.22% highlighted his role as a lone target for a team which tended to assist shots at a rate nearly half that in general. It is clear Benteke was successful in dispatching his mostly-assisted chances despite his team’s style of attack, but it’s interesting to consider whether this success will translate to his new club, Liverpool. Liverpool have actually assisted shots at rates not dissimilar from Aston Villa over the past two years (around 34% in both years for Liverpool, compared to 31% and 37% for Aston Villa). However, while Benteke thrived on assists in spite of his environment, Liverpool haven’t had a player take even 25 shots from open play in a season while being assisted at a rate higher than 50% (Jordan Henderson in 2013). Given this, as well as the departure of Raheem Sterling, provider of 24.38% of Liverpool’s open play shot assists, it’s possible that Christian Benteke will be forced to adapt from the steady diet he’s been used to, and if so, it’s uncertain how he’ll fare. While I’ve examined some cases of players who rely on assists to generate their shots struggling to cope with creating their own opportunities, having a high assist rate doesn’t mean that a player isn’t a capable striker or a valuable player. Diego Costa is an example of a high assist rate player who moved with great success to a team which had previously generated few assists (though the simultaneous arrival of Cesc Fabregas didn’t hurt in this regard). What a high or low assist rate ultimately means is that we shouldn’t count on a player’s performance, good or bad, translating to a different team with a different style, or even the same team with different personnel. |
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Foreign precision engineering firms are investing more in Singapore, drawn by strong semiconductor demand and government incentives aimed at re-tooling an economy short of skilled labor. A Universal Robots employee demonstrates how a model of their industrial robot arms works in Singapore March 3, 2017. Picture taken March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su The city-state is running programs worth billions of dollars to support productivity, automation and research, attracting global chipmakers including U.S.-based Micron Technology Inc and Germany’s Infineon Technologies. This investment rush into electronics helped the technology sector log 57 percent output growth on average in October-February from a year ago, and kept Singapore from recession late last year. “I’ve lived in Europe, I’ve lived in Japan, I’ve spent a lot of time in Taiwan and other countries. From a proactive standpoint, Singapore is about as good as it gets,” said Wayne Allan, vice president of global manufacturing at Micron, adding the Singapore government’s long-term vision was key to Micron expanding its investment. Taking advantage of government grants, Micron is investing $4 billion to make more flash-memory chips in Singapore. It increased output by a third in the second half of last year and expects similar growth in the first half of this year. Linear Technology Corp, a maker of analog integrated circuits, has opened a third chip testing facility in Singapore, and will produce 90 percent of its global test equipment in the city-state. All this has created something of a virtuous circle in the semiconductor supply chain, with chip testing equipment supplier Applied Materials reporting record shipments to Singapore last year, said its regional chief, Russell Tham. It’s unclear how much of this revival in Singapore’s $40 billion chip industry is due to a so-called ultra-super-cycle in the global memory chip sector, and Singapore remains a smaller player than South Korea and Taiwan. “It is vulnerable to a pull-back,” said Nomura economist Brian Tan. “If there’s a turnaround in the semiconductor industry ... it becomes a lot more apparent that the underlying growth momentum is not great.” -For graphic on 'global memory chip market forecast' click: tmsnrt.rs/2k8LOqk -For graphic on 'Singapore's semiconductor industry performance' click: tmsnrt.rs/2oLaZOi MOVING UP However, there are real signs that the targeted government incentives are helping firms move up the value chain. Related Coverage Factbox: Singapore attracts foreign investment in semiconductors One of the larger programs is the Productivity and Innovation Credit, where Singapore has budgeted S$3.6 billion ($2.6 billion) for 2016-18. Another S$400 million automation support package is aimed at small firms, and a S$500 million Future of Manufacturing plan encourages testing new technologies. The Ministry of Trade and Industry says it encourages manufacturers to “embrace disruptive technologies” such as robotics. “These measures will help ensure the manufacturing sector in Singapore remains globally competitive,” it said, attributing the strong semiconductors performance partly to demand from China’s smartphone market and improved global semiconductor demand. For Feinmetall Singapore, whose products are used for testing semiconductor wafers, grants covered about two thirds of the $100,000 cost of a needle-bending machine it needed to help overcome an island-wide labor shortage. “If we use the same methods as before ... I don’t think we can expect any growth,” said Sam Chee Wah, the company’s general manager, noting Feinmetall Singapore struggled to retain some workers for much longer than a year, even after nine months of training. GlobalFoundries Singapore, a wafer maker, has spent $50 million on 77 robots, each able to perform the tasks of 3-4 workers. This has helped the company move up the value chain into parts for self-driving cars and security-related chips for credit cards and mobile payments, says general manager KC Ang. Singapore now has about 400 robots per 10,000 workers, the world’s second-highest density after South Korea. Most robots are used in electronics, according to the International Federation of Robots. And further developments are in the pipeline. AUTOS, IOT At its Singapore manufacturing hub, Infineon is developing productivity tools such as robotics and automated guided vehicles which it hopes to deploy to other production sites. Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors is also developing vehicle-to-everything technology, enabling vehicles to communicate with each other and roadside infrastructure. Instead of trying to compete with high-volume producers such as China or Malaysia, Singapore has shifted to higher-end products, said Jagadish C.V., head of Systems on Silicon Manufacturing, another firm making semiconductor wafers. “So you do the products which others can’t do so easily,” he said, adding his firm had shifted most of its output to specialized products, such as chips used in smartphones. CK Tan, President of the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association, noted the global chip industry is automating faster than other sectors because of cost pressure, a need to eliminate or reduce error, and have a consistent process control. “In Singapore, it’s even more important for us to ... look at how to speed up or increase the level of automation because of the lack of skilled resources,” he said. “The industry has recognized it has to move upscale. The government incentives play a part to allow the manufacturing side to be relevant, to be at least cost competitive.” Slideshow (4 Images) The Ministry of Trade and Industry said first-quarter growth in manufacturing - up 6.6 percent year-on-year, while overall GDP was up 2.5 percent - was due mainly to output expansion in electronics and precision engineering. Integrated circuits were Singapore’s biggest export product among non-oil domestic exports in January-March, topping S$6 billion ($4.29 billion), according to trade agency IE Singapore. ($1 = 1.3972 Singapore dollars) |
What kind of benefits does an online checking account provide over a standard checking account with a traditional brick-and-mortar bank? Should you be enticed to try an online checking account or stick with the options in your local area? 4 Benefits of an Online Checking Account Here are a few benefits of switching to an online checking account. Interest on Deposits For your average brick-and-mortar bank, offering interest on the deposits held in the checking account isn’t necessary. These banks know people prefer to have a local bank staffed with people to talk to. That coupled with the fact that everyone needs a checking account makes it easy to offer a mediocre product without much customer retribution. Part of that mediocre product means no interest on your money sitting in the checking account. With an online checking account you actually get to earn a little bit of interest on your deposits in the account. You won’t get the earth-shattering interest rates of a few years ago, but it isn’t uncommon to find an account paying 0.40% to 0.75% interest for your checking account business. That may not sound like much, but it never hurts to earn a little bit more money in an account that you would probably have even without the interest. More Reasonable Fees Local banks and big banks make a ton of money off of their customers. And they need to in order to afford all of those branch locations. Online banks competing with these institutions draw in customers with significantly lower fees. Here are three fees you should expect to be lower or non-existant with an online checking account: 1) ATM Fees If you can’t go to a physical branch location to withdraw money, you are kind of at a disadvantage because you have to rely on ATMs and getting cash back at stores that allow it. Online checking accounts eliminate this problem by giving you free access to ATMs across the country. The specific terms are bank dependent, but usually you get either a certain number of ATM fees refunded to your account or all of them are refunded. 2) Overdraft Fees Banks make a ton of money off of their customers by hitting them with overdraft charges each time they spend more than is in their account. Most online checking accounts will have an overdraft system in place, but normally the fees are significantly lower. Big banks typically charge $35 per overdraft so if you swipe your card 5 times in a day you end up paying $175 in fees. Some online banks only charge $9 per day of overdrafting or will extend you an incredibly low line of credit that charges you pennies on the dollar for the overdraft. 3) Minimum Balance Fees Some banks offer “free checking”, but the “free” part only applies if you meet certain requirements like minimum balances or minimum average daily balance. If you dip below these requirements during the month you get hit with an account maintenance fee. Not so with online accounts: you can open an account with as little as $1 or $25 in most cases, and there is no fee for the honor of being a customer of the bank. Easy Transfers Transferring funds between accounts is really simple with online checking accounts. Again, having easy online access and tools is a necessity of not having physical branches for customers to visit. You can send money to your savings account or to several brick-and-mortar banks easily through the online tools. Paper Checks are an Option Without a physical branch you might think you wouldn’t be able to write or receive paper checks. Both are untrue with most online checking accounts. First, you can still write checks. Some online banks provide free standard checks for you to use while others give you the option of purchasing them. Second, without having a physical branch the online bank has to come up with a way for you to be able to deposit any paper checks you receive into your account. Different methods are used: some let you scan the check into an online tool, some let you take a photo that does the same thing, and others give you deposit envelopes where you send the signed check in to the bank for depositing. Any of the ways works, it just depends on the bank you end up with as to which method they use. Final Thoughts About Online Checking Accounts If you are tired of your current bank taking your deposits and giving you little benefit for them, consider switching to an online checking account. You’ll earn more interest, pay less fees, and still get all of the benefits of a regular checking account. The only reason not to switch would be if you heavily relied on going to the physical branch location many times per week. Otherwise, grab your debit card (and paper checks if needed) and make the move. Do you have an online checking account? What do you like about it? |
Hey beer lovers! Knotty Barrel, a local favorite, has offered to host us for a $2 beer Cali craft special! Knotty Barrel has been very kind and supportive of the SD beer club for many years now. They have hosted us for many other events that were really fun. The $2 special will consist of 2 Cali craft beers from 7-8pm. Don't worry...one of them will be an IPA for you IPA fanatics. AFTERWARDS, Knotty Barrel is offering $3 crafts over a selection of 16 beers. So I can almost guarantee there will be something there for everyone. Knotty Barrel is located in the East Village district of downtown. Knotty Barrel definitely upholds the hip and lively night life the area has to offer. Check out their website below for more details if you are interested. http://knottybarrel.com/ Come out and join me along with many of your fellow SD Beer Clubs for a fun night and some great $2 beers! Cheers, Karl |
Cardinal Timothy Dolan Tells Muslims 'We Love God and He is the Same God' Email Print Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York City visited a mosque in Staten Island this week where he met with Muslims and other faith leaders. During his visit, he made the controversial statement that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. Dolan spent over two hours in the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center in the Tompkinsville area of the borough where he ate lunch with around 40 clergy and laity, according to StatenIslandLive.com. "I thank God that this day has arrived," said Dolan to the religious leaders present. "I thank you for your welcome, I thank you for making me feel like a friend and a member of the family." Dolan also questioned some of the Muslim leaders regarding their faith and was surprised at how much they had in common, coming to a divisive conclusion. "We love God and he is the same God," said the Cardinal, ignoring the general Christian interpretation that views Allah as a separate, different god than the one of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Various Christian critics have previously blasted "Chrislam" as viable theology, as Muslims believe Jesus Christ was simply a prophet like Muhammad instead of the divine Son of God. Zurkani Vardar, the president of the center, expressed his gratitude for Dolan's visit to the Staten Island Advance. "We are very happy to have Cardinal Dolan here," he said. "It is very important for our future generations. The more we visit each other the more we understand." Dolan's visit was a response to an invitation issued by the leaders of the center during a meeting with the archbishop back in January. He was unable to be reached by the time of this article's publishing for comment. The Cardinal also made headlines earlier this month by blasting a proposal that would allow easier access to abortion in New York while also extending the legal time frame women are allowed receive one. This bill labeled the Women's Equality Act is being pushed by NYC Governor Andrew Cuomo and is designed to "protect a woman's freedom of choice by enacting a reproductive health act." Dolan shot it down, deeming it a "killer." "The second is the Woman's Equality Act. Of the ten proposals in this act, we're supportive of nine. Not bad. Sadly, the tenth is, literally, 'a killer,' as it increases access to abortion. In a state where 40 percent of babies are aborted," the Cardinal wrote in a press release. |
Friday was Eli Manning's 33rd birthday. He has been the New York Giants' quarterback for 10 years now and won two Super Bowl titles and Super Bowl MVP awards. He is coming off the worst season of his career and the first losing season the Giants have had since he was a rookie in 2004. On the occasion of Manning's birthday, I hereby present 33 thoughts about the Giants' quarterback, in no particular order: He's getting a contract extension this offseason. You may not like it, but you can bank on it. The Giants will correctly identify that there's not likely to be a better option on the market in the next half-decade and that extending Manning is the best way to clear enough 2014 cap room for the extensive roster rebuild that confronts them this offseason. Fans who would like to see the Giants tear it up and move on with a young quarterback ignore the fact that guys like Teddy Bridgewater would be lucky to ever be half as good as Manning is now. And when you don't have a quarterback in this league, you don't have anything. Like it or not, Eli Manning -- shown here with coach Tom Coughlin -- is the Giants' best option at quarterback for the foreseeable future. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh Next year will be his first year without the influence of Kevin Gilbride, who announced his retirement Thursday. Gilbride was the quarterbacks coach for the Giants from 2004-06 and took over as offensive coordinator late in the 2006 season. Manning had a great deal of success prior to 2013 with Gilbride as one of his guides, and as the Giants hunt for Gilbride's replacement, the manner in which he'll work with their quarterback should be a guiding principle. Manning won his second Super Bowl title in Indianapolis, which at the time was his brother's home stadium. His brother, Peyton Manning, is currently the quarterback of the Denver Broncos, who have the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs and a chance to win the Super Bowl in Eli Manning's home stadium next month. At some point this offseason, Manning will work out at Duke University with his receivers and with Duke coach David Cutcliffe. If you watched any Duke games this year -- heck, even if you only saw the Chick Fil-A Bowl on Tuesday night -- it was easy to see what the Mannings like about that guy. He has a lot of good ideas about how to play offensive football. The Giants used seven starting offensive line combinations in 2013 -- a far cry from the 2007-09 days when they went 38 straight games with the same starting five. The Giants have ranked 29th, 14th and 32nd in the league in rushing offense the last three seasons. Manning's completion percentage has dropped in each of those three years. Manning's 57.5 completion percentage in 2013 was his lowest for a season since 2007, when he completed only 56.1 percent of his passes. His 3,818 passing yards this year were his fewest since 2008, when he passed for 3,238. The Giants ranked first in the league in rushing offense that year. The retirement of Redskins linebacker London Fletcher leaves Manning's streak of 151 consecutive starts as the longest active streak by any NFL player. He has not missed a game since he got the starting job in 2004. That streak is the third-longest in NFL history but only the second-longest in Manning family history, as Peyton played 208 consecutive games from 1998 to 2011. He collects art, appreciates fine wine and has a lousy sense of direction, according to this from my friend Steve Politi. Manning seems like a closed book a lot of the time, so I always enjoy finding out things about him that I didn't know. For instance, I enjoyed talking to him two years ago about the influence Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter had on him as a star athlete and a New York sports figure. No matter his predicament, Eli Manning is always willing to lend the media a helping hand. AP Photo/Bill Kostroun I enjoy talking to Manning in general. As a reporter, I feel like he's a guy who's happy to help. He'll play along with your story angle and not shut you down because he's in a bad mood. He's approachable at his locker even on his non-scheduled "talk" days. And if you have an interesting angle that's new to him, he engages enthusiastically. Pleasant guy to deal with. Manning was sacked on 6.6 percent of his dropbacks in 2013, by far a career high. His 3.42 sack percentage in 2012 was the lowest in the league, and his career mark of 4.79 is the 18th-lowest of all time. This was the third season in which Manning led the league in interceptions. He's never led the league in any other major statistical category (unless you count sack percentage, I guess). He's 43rd all-time with 171 career interceptions, and 20 more in 2014 would get him into the top 30. On my own 33rd birthday, I was in the middle of my first season as national baseball writer for The Newark Star-Ledger after five years covering the Yankees for that paper. At that time, the 24-year-old Manning had a 1-6 career record with six touchdowns and nine interceptions and was about to enter his first training camp as the Giants' starting quarterback. On his 33rd birthday, Peyton Manning had a record of 124-62 (counting playoffs) and one Super Bowl MVP award. At that same time, Eli Manning was 50-32 (counting playoffs) with one Super Bowl MVP award. In Manning's nine years as the Giants' starting quarterback, the Giants have had five players lead the team in receptions. Victor Cruz has led the way the last three years, but prior to that it was Hakeem Nicks, Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon and Plaxico Burress. Manning had the same leading receiver, Chris Collins, in each of his final three seasons at the University of Mississippi. If Manning trusts you to get open, he'll keep throwing it to you. In Manning's nine years as the Giants' starting quarterback, the Giants have had four players lead the team in rushing -- Tiki Barber, Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Andre Brown. Manning is the Giants' all-time leader in passing yards, but did you know he's only second all-time in passing yards per game to Kerry Collins? (237.7 to 231.0) Manning has been sacked 252 times in 153 career games. Phil Simms was sacked 477 times in 164 career games with the Giants. He apparently likes to sing karaoke, according to Jeff Chadiha. I can actually picture this. Manning ranked 21st among NFL quarterbacks in standard fantasy points this past season, tied with Aaron Rodgers, who only played 11 games. If you had Manning as your fantasy quarterback, you were likely strong elsewhere, but it's hard to believe he helped you win your league. In this Sports Illustrated feature, Manning was listed as "worthy of consideration" as the best NFL player ever to wear the uniform No. 10. Fran Tarkenton was the winner in that category, with Steve Bartkowski as the runner-up and Jim Zorn and Byron "Whizzer" White joining Manning among the honorable mentions. Every Friday, Manning hosts a film session with all of his receivers in which he's the only one who speaks. The meeting is intricate and open to anyone on the team who wants to attend, and players on the Giants' offense have said in recent years that it's among the most educational parts of their week. Manning is one of only five players to win more than one Super Bowl MVP award, along with Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and Tom Brady. Montana is the only one ever to win three. #10 QB New York Giants 2013 STATS |
The Role of Internet of Things in Agriculture The Internet of Things or IoT is a milestone in the evolution of technology summoning prediction that 2016 will see the rise of over 6 billion connected “things”. Gartner defines the Internet of Things as “the network of physical objects that contain embedded technology to communicate and sense or interact with their internal states or external environment”. The application of internet of things has expanded its horizons to create possibilities of smart home, intelligent wearables, smart city, industrial internet, connected cars and smart supply chain. How can the internet of things impact and enhance agriculture? When employed in agriculture, Internet of Things aims to increase the productivity, to minimize the waste and to effectively get rid of pests. With a well-planned matrix of strategies embedded in the connected devices, Internet of Things in agriculture can provide a leap towards catering to the needs of a constantly expanding population. Precision Agriculture Precision agriculture is the modern mode of farming technology. It primarily involves the processing and analyzing of gathered data to gain insights into how harvest can be efficiently increased. Precision Agriculture is entering the agriculture domain with full-fledged force. This methodology focuses on collecting data and undertaking predictive analytics to enhance crop preservation, seed technology and nutrition. The traditional method of understanding the land to increase yield and protect crops was dependent on a set of field specialists who physically evaluated the region jotting their observations on notepads. The collected data would be later analyzed for forecast. Now, with the use of high-quality sensors, the data can be accurately collected while the capacities of fields specialists is employed mainly in finding solutions and tools for increased productivity. The IoT connected devices stream live data on the land allowing data-informed decisions on planning the resources and harvesting of crops. Contribution of IoT to Agriculture Predictive weather models are constructed using two types of information: Live data on local weather conditions including status of the soil (temperature, humidity) Data collected over time on the growth of plant and climate of the region. By organizing and analyzing the live and collected-over-time data, companies can build models which allow farmers to take preemptive action for healthy harvest of their crops. The live data is collected using the sensors which are placed across the land. Apart from sensors which are focused on the crop harvest, a series of other IoT-enabled technologies are also used for other farming purposes: Tracking the condition of farming equipments; Smarter irrigation systems fueled by information of temperature and humidity; Setting auto temperature for storage space and mapping the condition of individual/batch of products; Counting and tracking of pests to instantly regulate the pest control system; Internet of Animal Health Things (IoAHT) which gathers data on health of the livestock and permits insight into the required diet or medical attention. IoAHT involves the placement of devices in the animals which assembles comprehensive information about their bodies. The foremost concern is to ensure that the animals are not caused pain in such a process. And from a business viewpoint, it reduced the cost of labor and capital involved in their caretaking. The potential of IoAHT is also being explored in the domain of pets where devices can track and inform the owners about their pet’s health regularly. IoT Agriculture Apps Agricultural IoT apps track the data of wireless sensors and ready it for predictive analytics. Here are a few IoT agriculture apps which are pioneering the second wave of green revolution: Phenonet Project (Openiot) Phenonet Project assists plant breeders to examine the condition of different wheat types by measuring the air temperature, soil temperature and humidity. The farmers can predict the harvest time, enhance the nutritional value of plants and regulate the plant irrigation timings. CLAAS Equipment One of the world leaders for agricultural engineering tools, CLAAS produces equipments which run on autopilot, which provide advice on increasing crop flow and on reducing the losses. Farmers can customize the program to fit their needs or allow the program to optimize the equipment automatically. PrecisionHawk’s UAV Sensor Platform PrecisionHawk has introduced an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) which performs a series of land-related tasks previously left to manual labor. This involves surveying, imaging and mapping of the land. The Second Wave of Green Revolution The mid-20th century saw rise of a second green revolution backed by scientific advances. The crop yield was amplified greatly even in places where the land area was decreased. As the human population continues to grow drastically (world population is predicted to touch the heights of 9.7billion by 2050), IoT is creating ways to manage and respond to the expanding food demands. Along with IoT, other innovations like “scuba rice” are being introduced. With a gradually evolving internet of things, one can predict that eventually, agriculture will involve a highly systematic network of devices that constantly collect data and permit the farmers to produce soil-specific crops and to innovate on new types of plants that can be grown on the land. How would you think IoT can propel the second wave of Green Revolution? Share your thoughts with us. To know more about Suyati’s expertise in Internet of Things, please write to services@suyati.com. |
By almost any measure, $69 million is a heck of a lot of money. Not so for “Transformers: The Last Knight,” which is tracking to make that much in North America during its five-day opening frame. The problem isn’t just that it’s up against a $217 million production budget, although that’s part of it. With China powering an estimated $196.2 million international opening, Paramount and Hasbro are leaning on the film’s global appeal to justify its place in the series. But the bigger red flag for “Transformers” No. 5 lies in the franchise’s history of opening at around $100 million domestically for the past three installments. This raises a lot of questions, all centering around who or what is to blame for “The Last Knight’s” lower numbers. Here are three reasons why the movie may have underperformed. 1. Franchise Fatigue Strikes Again It’s a different verse of the same song. This summer has seen sequel after sequel show signs of weakness at the box office. Save “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” which has outgrossed its originator, and you’re left with “Alien: Covenant” (a long-awaited disappointment); “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” (the smallest North American opening since the original); “The Mummy” (a domestic flop); and “Cars 3” (another franchise low opening). With even more “Transformers” movies in the works — most likely without director Michael Bay — the studio should hope new blood can save the franchise from further decay. Related ‘Wonder Woman’: How Patty Jenkins Saved the DC Extended Universe 2. Reviews Killed Word of Mouth Critics have never exactly loved a “Transformers” movie before, but that hasn’t seemed to hurt the bottom line — could “The Last Knight” signal a change in how word of mouth spreads? The latest installation currently has a 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, and follows a trend of movies that have underperformed at the box office that also just might not be all that high-quality. While the studio is seeing an uptick in approval from its youngest demo, a B+ CinemaScore overall is tied for a franchise low. Contrast that with “Wonder Woman,” which received almost unanimously positive reviews and outperformed expectations. Yes, there are many reasons why one might see “Wonder Woman” and not “Transformers,” but the critical consensus is one direct contrast between how each recent film has performed. 3. No Hook to Make it a Must-See 2017 — even more so than 2014 when the last “Transformers” movie was released — is a year of too much. Too many blockbusters crammed into the summer season. Too much television. Too much nonstop cable news covering White House drama. The choice to go see a movie is just that (a conscious decision) and for a movie to drive conversation, and possess the all-powerful quality of being a must-see, it has to offer something different. Michael Bay’s latest seemed to lack a strong enough hook. That’s not to say there wasn’t an attempt. For example, Bay shot nearly the entire movie on Imax 3D cameras, which would seem to create a need to see the movie on the big screen. Also, a trailer for the movie showed Optimus Prime fighting Bumblebee, which sparked a question among fans: Why? But, in the end, the movie has failed to cut through the cultural conversation, or even seem different from the last installment in any significant way. For that reason, among others, audiences decided to take their money elsewhere. “Transformers: The Last Knight” starring Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Hopkins, Stanley Tucci, and Laura Haddock is in theaters now. |
An Indiana police officer has irked several in his South Bend community with a T-shirt he’s selling that touts a take-off slogan of the “I Can’t Breathe” mantra that followed New York suspect Eric Garner’s death — “Breathe Easy: Don’t Break the Law.” The aim of the shirt’s message is to say “police are there for you,” the South Bend uniform store owned by Mishawaka Police Cpl. Jason Barthel said in a statement, the New York Daily News reported. The South Bend Uniform Co., the maker of the T-shirt, put out a statement: “For those upset, please understand when we use the slogan ‘Breathe Easy’ we are referring to knowing the police are there for you! We are one people, one nation regardless of race, religion, creed or gender. We are all in this together. The police are here to protect and serve. 99.9% of us have the greater good in our hearts each time we strap on our uniforms and duty belts. We are all one people and this is by no means is a slam on Eric Garner or his family, God rest his soul. Let’s all band together as AMERICANS regardless of our feelings and know we can and will be better! Thank you for your support.” But not all are taking it that way. “We believe that people should be able to breathe easy no matter what they’re doing. Police should not take the right to breathe into their own hands,” South Bend District Council President Oliver Davis told the Daily News Tuesday. Mr. Davis is now calling for those stores that sell the T-shirt to pull it from their shelves. And the Rev. Terrell Jackson, of the South Bend NAACP, has joined the call, too, the newspaper reported. “I Can’t Breathe” took off across the nation as a rally cry of those upset by the police chokehold of Garner on the streets of New York. An hour later, Garner died at the hospital. Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. |
I have written a few blog entries in the past on the observation from research by Tom Gilovich and Leaf Van Boven as well as by Elizabeth Dunn, Dan Gilbert, and Tim Wilson that people get more out of purchases when those purchases are experiences than when they are material things. So, a ski trip creates more happiness than a new stereo that cost about the same amount of money. Even in the original research, though, the researchers realized that this distinction is not as clean-cut as it appears. For example, if you buy an expensive car, that could serve as a physical possession. However, that car might also create a variety of driving experiences that lead to happiness. A paper in the February, 2013 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology by Peter Caprariello and Harry Reis examines the role of sociality on the difference between experiences and things. When you purchase an experience, chances are you are going to share that experience with at least one other person (and perhaps many others). When you purchase a thing, there is a greater chance that the object is something you are going to use alone. These researchers suggest that items you use in a social setting are preferred to those used alone. As an example, in one study participants were asked to think back to a purchase they made some time in the past. Some people were asked to think about the purchase of an experience (like a movie ticket or trip to an art museum). Other people were asked to think about the purchase of a material possession (like clothes or a stereo sound system). Some people were asked to think about purchases of experiences or possessions that they would use alone. Others were asked to think about purchases of experiences or possessions that they would use with other people. After thinking about these items, they rated how happy they were with the purchase now, how happy they remember being with that purchase when they made it and whether they thought the purchase was money well-spent. In this study, the things and experiences that people remembered purchasing did not differ significantly on average in price or length of time since the purchase. Overall, people were happier with their purchase (both at the time of purchase and at the time of the study) when the item was bought to use socially than when it was bought to use alone. People also rated themselves as happier at the time of purchase when they bought an experience than when they bought a material possession. Surprisingly, they rated the money as better-spent on material goods than on experiences. What does all this mean? First, an important part of the difference in happiness that people get from a purchase comes from using that purchase for social interactions. There is still some tendency for purchases of experiences to make people happier than purchases of things above-and-beyond the social aspect (at least at the time of purchase). People rate money as better-spent on material goods, because once an experiential purchase has been used, it is gone, except as a . Material goods stay around longer. Thus, a year after a purchase, you can still use a shirt or a stereo you bought. At best, though, you can only remind yourself of a great trip. I find it interesting that people think the money is better-spent on material goods, even for possessions that will be used alone that create low-levels of happiness. This finding suggests that people focus their judgments of how they spend their money on the value the purchase rather than on the happiness they get from that purchase. Ultimately, this work suggests that when you have some discretionary money, it is a good idea to find ways to use it to bring you together with other people. In the long-run, those purchases will help you to buy some happiness. Follow me on Twitter. And on Facebook and Google+. Check out my books Smart Thinking and Habits of Leadership. |
Martial arts films first gained popularity in the U.S. during the 1970s with movies that featured stars like Bruce Lee and Sonny Chiba. However, this action-driven genre can trace its history to the days of silent cinema with classics like The Burning of the Red Lotus Monastary. While there are innumerable martial arts films that feature well-known action stars and entertaining fight sequences, there are some films in this genre that also manage to present an enjoyable story with good character development, as well as exceptional martial arts action. In order, here are the 25 martial arts movies that every fan should see. 25. Enter the Dragon This 1973 martial arts classic is a must-see for any fan of the genre. Although it was not Bruce Lee’s first film, it secured his legendary status and inspired legions of imitators. Enter the Dragon is also widely credited for establishing the mainstream popularity of martial arts films in the U.S., by merging elements from both Chinese and American cinema. The film stars Lee as a martial arts specialist who is recruited to investigate a mysterious island controlled by an evil character known as Han. The film also costars well-known action star John Saxon, and celebrated karate expert Jim Kelly. Kelly later parlayed his popularity from his minor role in Enter the Dragon into several starring roles in other martial arts films. 24. Drunken Master Jackie Chan is renowned for performing all of his own film stunts and has appeared in well over 100 martial arts movies. However, Drunken Master is especially beloved by martial arts film fans for its unusual combination of kung fu and comedy. The film is considered Chan’s breakout role and helped to popularize the “drunken boxing” style used by the title character. As noted by IMDb, the film tells the story of a disobedient son — played by Chan — who is eventually molded into a martial arts expert by a “drunken master.” The film’s classic redemption story is made even better by Chan’s gravity-defying martial arts abilities and an epic final battle with the main villain. For fans that can’t get enough drunken boxing action, there is Drunken Master II, also known as The Legend of Drunken Master, a 1994 follow-up film in which Chan reprises the same role. 23. Magnificent Butcher Sammo Hung, who is well-known in the martial arts film world for his directorial work and his many costarring roles with Chan, has also been the lead actor in several popular martial arts films. In Magnificent Butcher, a plump Hung is perfectly cast as “Butcher Wing,” a butcher student who is wrongly implicated in a horrific crime. Like Drunken Master, Magnificent Butcher also features an unusual combination of slapstick comedy and kung fu, despite its sometimes grisly storyline. 22. Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior Also known as Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, this martial arts film stars Tony Jaa in what would become his breakout role. In the film, Jaa plays “Ting,” a villager who volunteers to go to Bangkok in order to recover the stolen head of a Buddha statue known as Ong-Bak. Jaa uses a traditional Thai kickboxing martial art known as Muay Thai as well as his natural acrobatic abilities to create an exciting martial arts film with a classic “fish out of water” storyline. The film made Jaa a world-famous martial arts movie star and spawned two sequels: Ong Bak 2: The Beginning and Ong-Bak 3. 21. Ip Man Loosely based on the life of Yip Man — Bruce Lee’s teacher and a famous Wing Chun grandmaster — Ip Man stars Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen as the title character. Ip Man takes place in China during the 1930s, when Japan invaded the region. In the film, Ip Man uses his formidable Wing Chun skills to defend his family and defeat various Japanese soldiers in a martial arts competition. The film was a huge success and led to a sequel, Ip Man 2, which follows Yip Man’s life in Hong Kong and his eventual encounter with Lee. Although it is not the first film to tell the story of Yip Man, it was one of the most successful biopics about the legendary martial arts master. Yip Man has also been depicted onscreen by Tony Leung in The Grandmaster and Dennis To in The Legend Is Born: Ip Man. 20. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon This one’s a no-brainer, as it was the film that brought martial arts movies into the mainstream American conversation. Today, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon‘s stunning cinematography and incredible stunt choreography are recognized as iconic, influencing a handful of movies that followed. 19. House of Flying Daggers You won’t find a martial arts film with the sheer beauty that House of Flying Daggers features. And while its story leaves a lot to be desired, its use of colors, slow motion, and creative fight scenes all come together to create a visual feast. 18. Iron Monkey Here we have yet another amazing movie starring martial arts legend, Yen. With the blessing of Quentin Tarantino, Iron Monkey made the jump from China to the United States, getting a full release in America as a result. Tonally, as Paste Magazine so aptly notes, “it’s the definition of a kung-fu people-pleaser.” 17. Kill Bill Speaking of Tarantino, we’d be remiss in not including his own entry in the kung fu genre. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 both have something for everyone: insane fight scenes, a well-crafted revenge story, a tone that’s just cheesy enough, and a handful of homages to other classic martial arts movies. 16. The Grandmaster A more recent entry in the genre, The Grandmaster still carries that distinctive DNA shared by other truly great kung fu movies. The action sequences are pure visual poetry, coupled with a violent realism not often seen in its contemporaries. 15. Fearless Jet Li lands on our list for Fearless, a film that Rotten Tomatoes credits as “a brilliantly choreographed, beautifully filmed endcap to Li’s quarter decade of epic martial arts glory.” Far be it from us to sum it up any better than that, with Fearless giving us some of the talented actor’s best work. 14. The Raid: Redemption The Raid: Redemption is held up by many as the quintessential modern martial arts movie. As MTV critic Chase Whale stated, “my only complaint about The Raid is that it ended,” going on to note how the Indonesian movie is “a roundhouse kick to the head” in only the best possible way. 13. Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky You certainly don’t want to watch Riki Oh: The Story of Ricky if you’re in the mood for upper-tier cinema. What it does provide though is a wildly entertaining and often ridiculous take on the genre, featuring hilarious dialogue, buckets of red corn syrup, and everything you’ve ever loved about the cheesier side of the martial arts genre. 12. The Big Boss Here, we see Lee check in for his first ever film. Doubling as an exciting crime drama, The Big Boss was the world’s first introduction to the man who would soon go on to become the greatest martial arts actor to ever live. That alone is enough reason to have this film on your list of must-watch cinema. 11. Police Story Chan’s considerable talents are on full display in Police Story, netting credit as the writer, director, and star of the film. Overall, it’s the consummate portrayal of Chan’s physicality as both a martial artist and actor, culminating in his trademark creative choreography, and a surprisingly compelling story along the way. 10. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin You’d be hard-pressed to find a better revenge story in the martial arts genre than this. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin has it all: exciting training sequences, Shaolin monks, and a fight where a single man keeps an entire goon-squad at bay with nothing but a spear and his wits. 9. The Way of the Dragon Comparing The Way of the Dragon to Enter the Dragon is one of the bigger debates in martial arts cinema. The former is definitely more significant though, given that it’s the only film that Lee both directed and starred in (and a fight scene between Lee and a young Chuck Norris also doesn’t hurt either). 8. Fist of Legend Fist of Legend is significant for a couple reasons. First, it was a remake of Lee’s Fist of Fury, and with Jet Li in the starring role, it was a rousing success. Second, it’s the film that put choreographer Yuen Woo-ping on the radar of the Wachowskis, who eventually brought him on for The Matrix. That alone makes Fist of Legend a must-watch. 7. The Matrix Speaking of The Matrix, while it may not strictly speaking be a martial arts movie, there’s no denying its influence on fight choreography in pretty much all future action movies. Its use of slow motion, revolutionary special effects, and a groundbreaking savior story all made for an instant classic. 6. Come Drink with Me King Hu’s Come Drink with Me is cited by many as the inspiration for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, featuring the balletic fight choreography that made the latter so successful. Beyond that, its strong female protagonist was a concept that was almost entirely unheard of back when the film released in 1966. 5. The Good, the Bad, the Weird The Good, the Bad, the Weird lands on our list as a crossover success of a pair of genres: Westerns and kung fu movies. Set on the Korean peninsula, it’s equal parts goofy and insanely entertaining, as three men hunt for a buried treasure, while fighting off invaders, bandits, and everything in between along the way. 4. Hero At the time it was made, Hero had the highest budget of any Chinese-made movie in film history. And while that record has since been surpassed, it’s a good example of a film properly utilizing a lofty budget to create a well-crafted final product. Rotten Tomatoes’ critical consensus cites “death-defying action sequences and epic historic sweep” as the crowning achievements of its story, all making for a solid 95% positive rating. 3. Kung Fu Hustle Largely a parody of the genre, Kung Fu Hustle is also a wildly entertaining (and oft-hilarious) martial arts classic. The movie makes a considerable effort to remind us that kung fu movies are supposed to be fun, in a refreshing divergence from the more somber tone of its mid-’00s contemporaries. 2. Fist of Fury Also known as The Chinese Connection, Fist of Fury marks Lee’s second ever performance, and it’s a doozy. Many of the most recognizable outfits and fight scenes we know Lee for today were featured in this very movie. Suffice it to say, it’s certainly his most memorable work, pretty much defining the term “iconic.” 1. Once Upon a Time in China Considered by many to be one of the greatest kung fu movies ever made, Once Upon a Time in China is director Tsui Hark’s defining work. Li stars as our hero, as he steps in to save a small village from complete destruction at the hands of Western culture. You won’t find a movie that utilizes Li’s considerable talents the way this one does, making it a must-watch for any fan of martial arts cinema. All movie cast, crew, and awards information courtesy of IMDb. Check out Entertainment Cheat Sheet on Facebook! |
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