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President Trump has signed a bill that sanctions Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and limits the executive branch's ability to alter sanctions regarding Russia. Trump also issued a signing statement along with the bill — legal written commentary from the president on how he views the legislation — which mostly attacks the bill's constitutionality. But Trump also issued a written statement beside his signing statement, which decries the bill because of "the many ways it improperly encroaches on Executive power, disadvantages American companies, and hurts the interests of our European allies." From Trump's statement: "[D]espite its problems, I am signing this bill for the sake of national unity. It represents the will of the American people to see Russia take steps to improve relations with the United States." |
Advisers to President-elect Donald Trump have given the press and the public some remarkable advice: to take “seriously” but not “literally” the words of the next leader of the free world. This formulation – first articulated by reporter Selena Zito – was originally an effort to explain why so many of Trump’s obviously outlandish statements didn’t seem to bother his supporters (“he doesn’t really mean to build a wall…”). But it’s since become the mantra of Trump’s boosters to justify the mix of half-cocked 3 a.m. Twitter rants, conspiracy theories, half-truths and outright falsehoods that seem to comprise the bulk of Trump’s communications with the public. As Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s first campaign manager, put it: “This is the problem with the media. You guys took everything Donald Trump said so literally. And the problem with that is the American people didn’t.” It’s one thing for politicians to make grandiose promises on the campaign trail that they’re unlikely to be able to keep (e.g., that wall). It’s another to make statements of “fact” that poison our democracy, worsen political divisions and put vulnerable people at risk. Moreover, the worst of these falsehoods don’t appear to be the “off the cuff” pronouncements of a flamboyant showman. Rather, they reflect a calculated cunning aimed at the amassing and abuse of power. These are the words that Trump does in fact want taken both seriously and literally by his followers – and thus most deserve to be firmly debunked. The most egregious – and most dangerous – untruths promoted by our president-elect to date are what seem to be the deliberate lies – the ones intended to undermine Trump’s opposition, shore up his base and sow the dissension and chaos that help to consolidate his hold on power. They are red flag markers of his authoritarian tendencies, and they’ve been happening with distressing regularity. So far, Trump has managed to generate at least six such serious untruths in just the first five weeks after his election: *** Trump: “The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history.” (Trump transition team statement, Dec. 11, 2016) Truth: Trump’s electoral college victory ranks 46th out of 58. The Trump transition team made this claim after U.S. intelligence officials concluded that Russian interference in the election was intended to help Trump win. Trump also claimed, in an interview on Fox News, that his victory was a “massive landslide.” The reality is something the opposite. Claremont McKenna political science professor John J. Pitney, Jr. has posted all of the electoral college results from past elections on his blog, Epic Journey, and found that Trump is actually one of the worst-performing electoral victors in history. According to Pitney’s list, Trump not only won fewer electoral votes than Barack Obama did in 2008 and 2012 and Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996, he also did worse than much more forgettable presidents such as Calvin Coolidge and Martin Van Buren (though he did manage to slightly outperform George W. Bush). PolitiFact rated Trump’s claim of a “massive landslide” as “False.” Why it matters: Trump’s insistence on a “landslide” is intended to suggest a broader popular mandate than he actually has, which he can in turn use to justify whatever actions he takes. Moreover, the followers who believe in a Trump mandate may feel empowered to act accordingly, including through whatever ex parte means they think necessary to suppress the opposition. *** Trump: (On the hacking of the DNC) – “They have no idea if it’s Russia or China or somebody. It could be somebody sitting in a bed some place.” (Fox News Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016) Truth: U.S. intelligence officials know exactly which Russian officials were behind the hacking of the DNC. The New York Times reports that U.S. officials made their conclusions about the attempted Russian influence on U.S. elections based on “overwhelming circumstantial evidence.” As part of this evidence, reports the Times, intelligence officials were able to identify the specific Russian officials believed to be responsible, including two Russian hackers known as “Cozy Bear” and “Fancy Bear” to security experts. The CIA, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security also spent months on these investigations, according to the Wall Street Journal. Why it matters: “Never before has a President or President-elect spoken so dismissively of the CIA,” says the New Yorker. By undermining the credibility of U.S. intelligence, Trump is, among other things, undermining Americans’ confidence in the ability of these agencies to keep the nation safe. By adding to Americans’ anxieties and further eroding trust in government, Trump is perhaps hoping that Americans will put their trust in him. If so, that’s a move straight out of the authoritarian playbook. *** Trump: “I will be holding a major news conference in New York City with my children on December 15 to discuss the fact that I will be leaving my great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” (Twitter, Nov. 30, 2016) Truth: Trump’s business empire is staying in the family. Trump has been under increasing pressure to address mounting concerns over conflicts of interests between his businesses and his presidency. But two weeks after his announcement to leave his business “in total,” he said he would delay sharing the details until January. He also said he would hand over the reins of his business to his adult sons before his inauguration and promised “no new deals.” All of this, however, falls far short of the full divestiture that the federal Office of Government Ethics says is the recommended route for avoiding conflicts of interest. What Trump should be doing is handing over all of his assets into a blind trust, to be administered by a third party over whom he has no control and about whose decisions he has no knowledge. Former White House counsel John Dean writes that even President Richard Nixon – whom Dean notes was “not known as a historical model for ethical behavior” – sold all of his stocks and bonds after his election and “insisted on a strict code of conduct for his White House and Cabinet throughout his presidency.” Of all the scandals that led to Nixon’s downfall, none were the result of conflicts of interest, writes Dean. Trump has also failed to release his tax returns – the first president in modern history to do so. This makes it impossible to understand the full extent of his holdings and how they might intersect with his decision-making in the White House. Why it matters: Trump’s changing array of vague pronouncements, reassurances and seeming commitments seem designed to keep people guessing about his plans. As a result, they have the potential to distract from the real issue: what Trump is actually doing – if anything – to address legitimate concerns that he’ll be using the office of the presidency to enrich himself and his family. One clue: Trump said he was too busy to hold his originally scheduled press conference about this business dealings. Less than a day later, however, he found the time to meet with rapper Kanye West. *** Trump: “Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!” (Twitter, Dec. 6, 2016) Truth: There is no current contract for this amount with Boeing. In response to Trump’s Tweet, Boeing issued a statement that it is under contract for $170 million “to help determine the capabilities of these complex military aircraft that serve the unique requirements of the President of the United States.” While the cost of building a new Air Force One could run into the billions (an expense that earlier budget estimates put at $1.6 billion, not $4 billion), there’s good reason. As Mackenzie Eaglen, a defense fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told Bloomberg, the plane is “an airborne White House,” designed to survive a nuclear war. There are no other planes like them in the world. Moreover, the current planes are more than 25 years old and nearing the end of their lifespans. Why it matters: Boeing’s stock plummeted 1.4 percent after Trump’s tweet before it eventually recovered. And coincidentally – or not – Trump’s tweet about Boeing followed 22 minutes after the publication of an op-ed by Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenberg implicitly critical of Trump’s policies on trade. Given the close attention Trump appears to pay to the news, it’s impossible to believe that he isn’t aware of the market-moving impacts of his remarks. Not long after the Boeing incident, Trump also criticized the F-35 stealth fighter via tweet, which caused Lockheed Martin’s stock to drop by $4 billion in the immediate aftermath. These moves are a blatant display of power – an effort to bully the CEOs of companies bigger than his own (Boeing’s market capitalization is $95 billion) with a weapon he didn’t have before – the presidency. There are collateral consequences as well. In another troubling development, Wall Street traders are already trying to figure out a way to profit from the volatility caused by Trump’s tweets (Bloomberg, for example, now offers the ability to have tweets appear right on your Bloomberg terminal). Author Peter Cohan points out another disturbing possibility in Forbes: “Anyone who knows the contents of the President’s tweet before it becomes public may be in possession of market-moving information on which they might be tempted to trade.” All of this turmoil also potentially puts workers’ livelihoods at stake. All but about 25,000 of Boeing’s 160,000 employees work in the United States. *** Trump: “The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you!” (Twitter, Dec. 2, 2016) Truth: Trump’s call with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen was months in the making with cooperation from both sides. Though Trump’s tweet seemed to imply a spontaneous congratulatory call by the Taiwanese president, both the Washington Post and the New York Times reported that the call was in fact carefully orchestrated after months of planning. According to the Times, former Sen. Bob Dole – working as a foreign agent representing Taiwan – worked for six months behind the scenes to establish a relationship between Trump and the Taiwanese government. Why it matters: Trump’s call with Taiwan appeared to depart – in a highly cavalier way – the “One China” policy that has governed U.S.-China relations since 1979, when the U.S. government broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan. China considers Taiwan to be a renegade province, and Trump’s call with its president was enough to prompt China to lodge a formal protest on Dec. 3. A Communist Party paper in China also called Trump “ignorant as a child.” If this escalation continues, national security experts warn that Trump risks a serious conflict with China, which – by the way – is a nuclear power. Foreign policy experts have expressed puzzlement at Trump’s moves on China, but as pure displays of raw power, they make perfect sense. By overturning decades of carefully considered policy, Trump is not only challenging the judgment and legacy of his predecessors in the White House, he is out to challenge the one power that might be stronger than himself: China. *** Trump: “…I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally” (Twitter, Nov. 27, 2016) Truth: There is no evidence whatsoever of any sort of widespread voter fraud. Trump presented no evidence of this claim – because there simply isn’t any. PolitiFact rated this one “pants on fire.” Why it matters: At last count in mid-December, Trump’s Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, was ahead of Trump on the popular vote by roughly 2.8 million votes. Trump’s claim is an attempt to delegitimize the popular vote count and, again, suggest a broader mandate he does not have. *** What’s most dangerous about these larger lies is that they are embedded in a welter of bombastic attacks, minor untruths and trivial kerfuffles that, in their sum, threaten to lull the public into accepting a new normal of Orwellian doublespeak on every issue. And by breathlessly covering Trump’s attacks on a magazine for trashing the Trump Grill with the same level of intensity as the Russian hacks, the media reduces both incidents to the same level of triviality in Americans’ minds. Yes, Trump should be taken seriously – and his strategy of deploying lies in the service of power should be taken most seriously of all. |
For a leftwing French presidential hopeful trying to prove he didn't like bling, room 2806 of the Sofitel hotel near Manhattan's Times Square was luxurious. For $3,000 (£1,850) a night, it boasted a foyer, conference room, living room, bedroom and bathroom. But the size of the suite compounded the brutality of the alleged assault on the hotel maid who described being dragged from room to room in a violent sex attack by one of the most important men in the world economy. At about 1pm on Saturday afternoon, a 32-year-old chambermaid entered the suite at the luxurious hotel on West 44th Street in the heart of New York's theatre district. She had been instructed to clean and was told it was empty. According to the hotel worker's account to police, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the IMF, emerged from the bathroom naked, chased her down a hallway and pulled her into the bedroom where he began to sexually assault her. New York police department spokesman Paul Browne said Strauss-Kahn had been naked when he "grabs her and pulls her into the bedroom and on to the bed". The 62-year-old then deliberately locked the door to the suite, it was alleged. "She fights him off, and he then drags her down the hallway to the bathroom," Browne continued. There, Strauss-Kahn sexually assaulted her again, forcing her to perform oral sex on him and trying to remove her underwear, according to the Associated Press. The woman was able to break free and escape the room, alerting colleagues, who dialled 911 for the police. When detectives arrived moments later, Strauss-Kahn had already left the hotel, leaving behind his mobile phone and other personal items. "It looked like he got out of there in a hurry," Browne said. The maid, who has not been named, was taken to hospital and treated for "minor injuries". The New York police quickly tracked Strauss-Kahn to John F Kennedy airport. At 4pm, he was sitting in the first-class cabin of Air France flight AF23 to Paris as it sat on the runway preparing to take off. Ten minutes before the plane was due to depart, two US investigators boarded. "What's this about?" Strauss-Kahn reportedly asked, before agreeing to go with the police. He was not handcuffed and the arrest took place so quietly that other French passengers said they hadn't even noticed Strauss-Kahn, just "some sort of police issue that delayed the flight". The former French finance minister, who as IMF head earns $420,930 a year tax free, was taken to a police holding cell in Harlem. Reporters from across the world massed outside and, at 3am, a police spokesman confirmed Strauss-Kahn had been charged with a criminal sexual act, attempted rape and unlawful imprisonment. The French consul general met Strauss-Kahn overnight under the normal rules of protection for French citizens detained abroad, a spokeswoman for the consulate in New York said. Strauss-Kahn was due to appear before a county judge on Sunday afternoon. A lawyer acting for him said he would plead not guilty. It was not clear what Strauss-Kahn, who has been married three times and has four children, was doing in New York. He is based in Washington and had a meeting on Sunday night in Berlin with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, which was swiftly cancelled after his arrest. Police investigating whether he deliberately fled the hotel would have to establish whether or not he was scheduled to take the Air France flight to Paris or whether he got on the first available plane. The French media reported Strauss-Kahn had a longstanding agreement with Air France that he could board any flight. French TV said he was due to have lunch with his daughter in Paris on Sunday before heading to see Merkel. His wife, the former TV presenter and millionaire art heiress Anne Sinclair, was at the couple's €4m (£3.5m) Paris apartment at the time of the alleged attack. After the arrest, she was said to have gone to stay with friends. "I do not believe for a single second the accusations levelled against my husband," she said. "I do not doubt his innocence will be established. I appeal for restraint and decency." The French political class was braced for more details to emerge of Strauss-Kahn's predatory attitude to women, an open-secret in political circles. President Nicolas Sarkozy told a meeting of MPs last year that, next to DSK, he looked like a "Methodist pastor". The novelist Tristane Banon was expected to detail an alleged attack on her in 2002. Banon's mother, a Socialist , appeared on French national television to claim how he allegedly attacked her daughter. Strauss-Kahn's allies admit he has a reputation for pursuing women. One Socialist said Strauss-Kahn deliberately did nothing to hide the fact that he was a "libertine". But friends said it was unthinkable that he had gone as far as attempted rape. Michel Taubmann, author of a new authorised biography which tells how Strauss-Kahn married his childhood sweetheart at 18 before going on to marry twice more, said: "He is a well-known seducer but does not have the profile of a rapist." That part of the alleged attack conjured up uncomfortable parallels with a recent fly-on-the-wall documentary about Strauss-Kahn aimed at softening his haughty image with the French electorate. He had cheerfully been filmed – fully clothed – in his hotel bathroom showing how he hangs up his suits in the shower and leaves the hot tap running for half an hour to steam out the creases. The allegations spread panic among the left at an extremely awkward time in the runup to the Socialist party's internal battle for a candidate to beat Sarkozy. Strauss-Kahn, seen as the biggest danger to Sarkozy, had already been accused of being a champagne socialist in what his allies said was a concerted campaign against him. When Socialist MP Pierre Moscovici recently warned against the use of "stink bombs" in the political campaign, many read between the lines that it was a warning about political opponents digging up aspects of Strauss-Kahn's private life and relationships with women. The far-right politician Marine Le Pen said Strauss-Kahn's arrest meant he could no longer run for president. "All of Paris – journalistic Paris, political Paris – has been abuzz for months about the rather pathological relationship that Mr Strauss-Kahn maintains towards women," she said. One rightwing MP from Sarkozy's ruling party compared Strauss-Kahn to JR in the soap opera Dallas. The full implications of the shame raised by the allegations was apparent in New York's Daily News's headline: "Le Perv". |
Men’s Rights Venn Diagram Last week, Men’s Rights Activist and general Prince Charming, Roosh Vorek, made a case for legalizing rape in Last week, Men’s Rights Activist and general Prince Charming, Roosh Vorek, made a case for legalizing rape in this article . Some Men’s Rights Activists responded, saying that Vorek doesn’t represent the entire MRA community. Given the apparent complexity of the Men’s Rights Activist identity, we’ve generated an easy-to-read Venn Diagram to explore this exciting underworld of men under the impression that they are anything but all-powerful. Below is a Venn diagram, illustrating the complex relationship between men’s rights activists, rapists, cry babies, literal feces, and sun-baked garbage. As the diagram shows, while most men’s rights activists are a combination of rapists, cry babies, literal feces, and sun-baked garbage, some MRAs are merely literal feces. Then still, while some MRAs are rapists, a fair portion are hot, stinky rapists or whiny rapists. The population of MRAs that are hot poop is separate from the population that are crying poop babies, except where some population of MRAs are hot, crying poop babies. Continued extrapolation from the diagram yields numerous populations – e.g. hot, stinky poop rapists – but it is easily concluded that men’s rights activists are stinking poopy baby dicks. Joanna Bradley is a comedian in New York. You can check out more of her stuff at JoannaBlably.com. Previous Article Conan in Cuba: A Historic and Hilarious Episode Next Article 6 Other Times Hillary Clinton Was the Bad Girl of the White House Get the most popular videos and articles from Above Average every week. Submit Thanks! You're now signed up to get the AA newsletter every Friday. |
The Batman & Dracula trilogy is a group of three American graphic novels written by Doug Moench and penciled by Kelley Jones. The stories—Batman & Dracula: Red Rain (1991), Bloodstorm (1994), and Crimson Mist (1998)—were published by DC Comics as a part of the Elseworlds line of comics. Moench created the concept for the first installment and convinced Jones, of whom he was a fan, to join the project. Red Rain's eventual popularity resulted in DC commissioning sequels. Set outside the DC Universe canon, the trilogy begins with Batman discovering Count Dracula and his minions feeding off the homeless of Gotham City. Batman becomes a vampire to gain the necessary strength to defeat Dracula, and does so by impaling him to a tree. He finds himself unable to control his desire for human blood and brutally murders the Joker before forcing Alfred Pennyworth and Commissioner Gordon to stake him. The stake is later removed by Alfred during a crime wave and Batman slaughters almost all of his old foes, after which survivors Two-Face and Killer Croc attempt to get rid of him once and for all. The Batman & Dracula books were among the earliest and most popular titles of the Elseworlds line, with each listed on the Diamond Comic Distributors bestsellers list. Journalists have praised the books for their story and artwork. Since the trilogy's conclusion, several other DC comics have featured stories set within Batman & Dracula's world, and the vampire Batman has appeared in some non-comic book media. Publication history [ edit ] The Batman & Dracula trilogy was written by Doug Moench and penciled by Kelley Jones.[1] Moench previously wrote Batman and Detective Comics from 1983 to 1986,[2] while Jones was known for redesigning Deadman for the limited series Deadman: Love After Death (1989—1990)[3] and illustrating seven issues of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman (1989—1996).[4] The books were published by DC Comics under its Elseworlds imprint, which was designated for comics that took place outside the DC Universe canon.[1] The initial installment, Batman & Dracula: Red Rain, was an early Elseworlds book;[5] the first, Batman: Holy Terror, had only been released a few months earlier.[1] The Batman & Dracula stories pay homage to the old Universal Pictures and Hammer Film Productions horror films.[6] According to Jones, Red Rain was produced after he finished Love After Death. Editor Archie Goodwin had been impressed by Jones' work on the series and wanted him to draw a Detective Comics cover to see his take on Batman. The image Jones produced—which depicted Batman diving down with a "weird cape" and surrounded by bats—impressed Goodwin and Dennis O'Neil, the editor of the Batman family of comics. O'Neil wanted to use Jones' art for a Batman book and had been talking to Moench, who was also a fan of Jones. Moench contacted Jones and told him about the concept he had made for an Elseworlds story in which Batman fights Count Dracula. Jones initially thought it was "the dumbest thing [he] ever heard", but changed his mind after Moench sent him the outline for it, which Jones called "out of the park wonderful."[7] The original title was Glory in Scarlet before being changed to Red Rain.[7] It took Moench and Jones five months to produce Red Rain. They used an approach somewhat similar to the Marvel method: Moench provided Jones a plot description of each page, with a few lines of dialogue scattered about. Malcolm Jones III inked the art.[6] Red Rain was released in December 1991.[1] It was first available as a 90-page[7] hardcover graphic novel that retailed for US$4.95.[8] Moench and Jones did not envision it as the beginning of a trilogy, instead as a one-shot similar to Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgment on Gotham and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. However, it sold well above expectations, so DC commissioned the two to produce a sequel.[6] Jones said that they were offered the sequel alongside another Elseworlds story, Batman/Dark Joker: The Wild.[9] The sequel, Batman: Bloodstorm, was published in January 1994;[10] Jones said the gap was caused by his responsibilities on Dark Joker. When he started illustrating, he was also hired to become the cover artist of Batman and Detective Comics. John Beatty had to ink Bloodstorm because Malcom Jones III was having personal issues.[6] Moench and Jones thought Bloodstorm would be the last Batman & Dracula story because both were now going to work on the monthly Batman titles, but it also sold above expectations. Les Dorscheid had colored Jones' art in the first two books, but he was replaced by Gregory Wright. Unlike Dorscheid, Wright colored the art digitally.[6] Batman: Crimson Mist was released in December 1998.[11] Moench knew that Crimson Mist was the conclusion, as he felt it was going to be the hardest and needed to end on an unsettling note.[6] On December 19, 2007, a collected edition comprising all three books, Tales of the Multiverse: Batman - Vampire, was released.[12] A second collection of the trilogy, Elseworlds: Batman Volume 2, was released on October 5, 2016.[13] Titles [ edit ] Batman & Dracula: Red Rain (1991) [ edit ] Writer: Doug Moench Penciler: Kelley Jones Inker: Malcolm Jones III Batman investigates a series of murders of homeless people of Gotham City whose throats have been slashed. He discovers that a family of vampires led by Count Dracula are the culprits behind the murders. A rogue vampire, Tanya, choses to help Batman. Batman, after a vampire bite, acquires the necessary strength to stand up to Dracula's minions while still retaining his humanity. Tanya informs Batman that vampires created by Dracula are powerless against his abilities and mental powers. Determined to destroy Dracula's minions, Batman lures them into the Batcave. Tanya and her followers distract them while Batman detonates multiple explosive charges, destroying Wayne Manor and killing the vampires. Batman then confronts Dracula and impales him on a tree. This act costs Batman his humanity, as Dracula drains the last of his blood before his death. Batman tells Alfred Pennyworth that he is now immortal. According to North American comic distributor Diamond Comic Distributors (DCD), Red Rain was the fourth most-ordered graphic novel of 1991 and the year's 17th bestselling graphic novel overall.[8] Batman: Bloodstorm (1994) [ edit ] Writer: Doug Moench Penciler: Kelley Jones Inker: John Beatty The Joker leads the remaining vampires of Dracula's horde. He convinces the vampires to follow his orders after pointing out their inability to think beyond their next victim since Dracula's death. Although they manage to take control of most of Gotham's major crime families, a team consisting of Batman, Catwoman, Commissioner Gordon, Alfred, and their vampire hunters made up of Gotham City Police Department detectives eventually destroy the vampires. Gordon, Alfred and their team stake the former crime lords during the day while Batman and Catwoman confront the last vampires in a warehouse. Catwoman is killed, taking a crossbow bolt for Batman, after defeating the vampire who made her what she had become. Enraged at the loss of the only person who was able to help him control his bloodlust, Batman subsequently drains the Joker of his blood. Horrified by what he has done, Batman stakes the Joker to ensure that he cannot come back as a vampire. He then convinces Gordon and Alfred to stake him so that he cannot commit any further murders. DCD estimated that Bloodstorm was the fourth most-ordered and fourth bestselling graphic novel of 1994.[14] By May 1995, it was still among the top 15 most preordered graphic novels.[15] Batman: Crimson Mist (1998) [ edit ] Writer: Doug Moench Penciler: Kelley Jones Inker: John Beatty Gotham is in the grip of a crime wave. Alfred removes the stake from Batman in an attempt to provide Gotham with a savior once again. Driven mad by the decaying of his body and his longing for blood, Batman begins draining and decapitating all of his old enemies. Two-Face and Killer Croc escape this fate and form an alliance with Gordon and Alfred to kill Batman, as both acknowledge that the man that Batman once was would not wish to go on killing his opponents in this manner. Having tracked Batman to his new lair in the Batcave, Alfred lures him into the main part of the cavern and they trigger explosives to expose Batman to the sun. During the struggle, Two-Face and Killer Croc attempt to kill Alfred and Gordon after Batman is nearly fatally injured, but Alfred sacrifices his life to give Batman the strength needed to save Gordon. Having killed Killer Croc and Two-Face by impaling Croc on a stalagmite and sticking arrows into both sides of Two-Face's head, Batman convinces Gordon to trigger the trap and the roof of the Batcave is destroyed. Gordon is crushed by falling rubble and Batman walks into the sunlight, hoping that, in death, he can finally find the peace he has been unable to find since his vampiric transformation. According to DCD, Crimson Mist was the third most-ordered and third bestselling graphic novel of November 1998, with sales estimated at 7,694 copies.[16] It also charted as the fifth most preordered graphic novel of September 2001, with estimated sales of 6,009.[17] Reception [ edit ] The Batman & Dracula books were among the most popular Elseworlds titles.[1][18] Nerdist's Rosie Knight described the series as a cult classic.[19] Eric Van Lustbader wrote that, while Red Rain featured an unusual version of Batman, it still managed to retain the feel of his world and somehow showed a more human side of Batman. Lustbader found the story engaging and innovative, and felt it set a new high for "cross-referencing characters from different milieus".[20] Reviewing Red Rain, IGN's Hilary Goldstein found that no other Elseworlds story featuring Batman was able to top it. He praised its unexpected plot twists and Jones' art style (which he said made the story feel like "a horrible living nightmare") and encouraged readers to buy it. Goldstein's only criticism was of the cover: he thought the illustration of Batman crawling from a grave was superb, but noted that it took up less than a fourth of the cover. He also wrote that Bloodstorm and Crimson Mist were inferior to Red Rain; he said that they were enjoyable but felt like they were "clogg[ed] up" with existing Batman enemies.[21] Goldstein and fellow IGN writer Joshua Yehl went on to rank Red Rain the sixth greatest Batman graphic novel, offering particular praise for Jones' powerful art.[22] Similarly, Screen Rant's Danijel Striga called the trilogy the eighth best DC story set in an alternate reality. He found its concept of turning Batman into a vampire simple yet clever, and described it as "tak[ing] Batman's already dark world and mak[ing] it pitch black."[18] Comic Book Resources's Brian Cronin named Red Rain the eighth best Elseworlds story.[23] Legacy [ edit ] Since the trilogy's conclusion, Batman & Dracula's world has been explored in other DC comics.[24] Jones illustrated a story by Peter Johnson set in the trilogy's universe in Infinite Halloween Special #1 (December 2007). Titled "Red Rain: Blood Lust", it tells the story of the vampiric Batman brutally murdering Dick Grayson's parents and is narrated by the Mad Hatter.[25] In Countdown to Final Crisis (2007—2008), the series' events are described as taking place on the 43rd alternate version of Earth in the DC Comics multiverse. For this series, Johnson and Jones produced another story that features a team of superheroes traveling to Earth-43 to search for Ray Palmer. There, they encounter the trilogy's characters.[24][26] For Convergence (2015), Len Wein and Jones produced a storyline in which the Swamp Thing arrives in the world of Batman & Dracula[27] and meets the vampire Batman. The story explores the emotional cost being a vampire has on Batman,[28] depicting him as horrified of what he has become. He and the Swamp Thing team up to fight destroy as many of the remaining vampires as possible and manage to kill the queen vampire; after the queen's destruction, every vampire becomes human again except Batman, who cannot revert since he was bitten by Dracula. Batman and the Swamp Thing watch the sunrise together and Batman expresses how beautiful he thinks it is before turning to dust.[29] The 2005 animated film The Batman vs. Dracula draws some inspiration from the Batman & Dracula trilogy.[30] Knight and ComicsAlliance's Elle Collins both thought adapting Batman & Dracula into a film was a good idea,[19][31] with Collins listing actors she thought should play the roles of each character.[31] The vampire Batman is playable in the 2013 video game Infinite Crisis.[32] Also in 2013, Mattel released an action figure of the trilogy's Batman.[33] In addition, in 2017 Mondo released a statue of a vampire Batman called "Batman Red Rain". The figure depicts Batman looming over a graveyard and has an interchangeable arm holding a stake. It is not directly modeled after Jones' artwork, but rather is based on a Mondo poster by Francesco Francavilla that was inspired by Red Rain.[5] See also [ edit ] Batman Fights Dracula, a 1967 Filipino film |
Spellforce 3 Releases Today on PC; Exciting Launch Trailer Released Tomas Franzese December 7, 2017 12:54:04 PM EST Spellforce 3 is now available on PC, so developer Grimlore Games and publisher THQ Nordic released a launch trailer for it. Grimlore Games and THQ Nordic’s newest entry in the Spellforce series, Spellforce 3, released today exclusively on PC. To celebrate, the developers released a new launch trailer for the game highlighting a variety of different features. Specifically, we get a look at Spellforce 3’s character and stat customization, building gameplay, skill trees, combat, and different environments. This RTS also features online multiplayer and co-op modes, which the trailer briefly shows off. In total, the game should contain at least 30 hours of gameplay in its campaign. Spellforce 3 will normally cost players $49.99, though a limited Collector’s Edition is also being offered that includes an artbook, the game’s official soundtrack, a Godstone amulet for players to wear, and an 8-inch figure of Sentenza Noria, who is a mentor to the player in-game. The story of Spellforce 3 takes place before SpellForce: The Order of Dawn, and “returns to the roots of the franchise” according to the developers. The game will feature both English and German voice-overs, and full-text localization in French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian and simplified Chinese. You can check out the RTS’ launch trailer below. Spellforce 3 is now available exclusively on PC through both GOG and Steam. If you want to see DualShockers’ thoughts on the game, you can check out a preview from our own Jordan Boyd. |
Maybe I’m just too old and neurotic, or perhaps it was that time a 17-year-old, wannabe frat bro dickhead kicked my face while crowd surfing during a Girl Talk gig, but I’m fucking over mash ups. Well, at least I thought I was. Then came along this mashup of Kanye West’s song-of-the-year contender “Black Skinhead” with Depeche Mode’s legendary hit “Personal Jesus” (via Chambaland). It was only a given this would happen, but it was never a guarantee it would sound so refreshing. To crib from Rock it Out! Blog’s Sami Jarroush, this one’s a legitimate “banger”, and one that actually might push me out into a club, preferably in a suit, only to sneer at people from behind a whiskey sour as it pummels the PA. To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if Yeezus himself wasn’t pouting in a corner somewhere for not using the sample. #regrets #streambelow The beyond-excellent, Top Star-earning Yeezus is currently available everywhere. |
Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. July 5, 2017, 5:23 PM GMT / Updated July 5, 2017, 5:22 PM GMT By Paul A. Eisenstein Volvo is going all-electric by 2019. The automaker announced Wednesday that all future models will use some form of electric propulsion, whether in hybrid form with a gas engine or all-battery models. The company says it hopes to become the first traditional carmaker to produce no vehicles based solely on internal combustion engines. Luxury automakers in general have been announcing major electric-vehicle plans in recent months. BMW will reveal an all-electric version of its 3-Series sedan at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. Mercedes-Benz is planning a new battery-car brand, Mercedes-EQ; and its parent, Daimler AG, on Wednesday announced plans to invest more than $700 million to build battery cars in China. Vovlo CEO Hakan Samuelsson speaks during presentation of the new Volvo XC60 car during the 87th International Motor Show at Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland on March 7, 2017. Denis Balibouse / Reuters file Volvo, based in Sweden but owned by a Chinese holding company, had previously announced plans to sell 1 million electrified vehicles by 2025, “and this is how we are going to do it,” said Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson. Volvo's Emphasis: Safety and the Environment The automaker has long been known for its focus on safety, but it has been putting increasing emphasis on the environment in recent years. Where luxury brands have traditionally relied on powerful V-8 engines for their most powerful and prestigious models, Volvo had already switched to a powertrain line-up with only four-cylinder engines. And with the 2016 launch of its flagship XC90 SUV, its top-line version was powered by the plug-in hybrid T8 “Twin Engine.” The transition to an all “electrified” line-up will begin with three new mainstream products set to roll out between 2019 and 2021. The complete transformation will likely stretch into the middle of the coming decade. Volvo isn’t saying what share of future products will be conventional hybrids, plug-ins or pure battery offerings, but the carmaker has already found stronger demand for the T8 Twin Engine than it had originally expected. For the moment, Volvo’s strategy might seem risky, especially in the U.S., where sales of all forms of electrified vehicles slipped last year, in part due to the low cost of gasoline. But industry analysts say several factors are driving the company’s decision. Related: Trump Nixes Obama's Fuel Economy Standards "We expect that the decision is also largely driven by CO-2 regulations," Evercore ISI analyst Arndt Ellinghorst told investors on Wednesday. Tough new emissions and mileage mandates are being put in place in most of the world’s key automotive markets. And even though President Donald Trump has ordered the EPA to reconsider Obama-era standards, which mandate a jump to a 54.5 mile-per-gallon target by 2025, a number of automakers have said they won’t back off on their own efficiency efforts even if the rules are rolled back. Assault on Batteries Industry analysts also are betting that the declining cost of batteries — along with improved vehicle range — will start to win over consumers. Tesla, for one, expects to boost sales to 500,000 in 2018 with the launch of its new, mainstream-priced Model 3. That would be a roughly 600 percent jump over the company’s 2016 numbers. A wide range of new players will flesh out the electric-vehicle market, particularly in the premium sector, in the coming years. Along with Tesla, California-based and Chinese-funded Faraday Future hopes to vie for luxury buyers, as does Lucid Motors, LeEco and other start-ups. Related: Faraday Future: Faster than a Ferrari Traditional upscale manufacturers, such as Volvo, aren’t content to cede ground to those new entrants. Virtually every luxury brand has so far committed to adding plug-based models, ranging from Audi to Lamborghini and even Porsche and Aston Martin, two brands best known for their high-performance gasoline sports cars. In addition to its upcoming electric 3-Series, BMW already has the i3 city car and the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. Daimler is launching its own electrified sub-brand, Mercedes-EQ, which will have at least 10 battery-electric offerings by 2022. For its part, Volvo will be the first broad luxury brand to announce plans to electrify all its products, however. And it will assist the rest of the brands owned by Chinese parent Zhejian Geely to go electric. That includes the Chinese-based Geely brand, as well as the new Lynk & Co. which debuted a production version of its 01 SUV model at the Shanghai Motor Show in April. The 01 will offer a full battery-electric version, as well as a plug-in hybrid, and those could be used by Lynk & Co in its bid to enter the U.S. market by 2019. Going forward, Volvo will produce electrified products in Europe, China and in the new plant it is currently erecting in South Carolina. All told, Volvo itself expects to be selling 1 million electrified vehicles annually by 2025. That would nearly double the 534,332 vehicles the company sold worldwide in 2016 using all of its various engine options. |
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson say it every offseason: It is not the rookies who will make the difference for the Green Bay Packers but rather the returning players. With that in mind, over the next couple of weeks, we will take a look at some returning players who need to take their game to another level in 2014. The previous installment focused on safety Morgan Burnett. Next up is outside linebacker Nick Perry. Why he needs to step up: Having missed 15 of a possible 32 regular-season games in his first two NFL seasons, Perry is trending toward being injury prone. And he has done little to reverse that this offseason, when he sat out every OTA and minicamp practice. There's growing frustrating in the organization about Perry, considering that they used a first-round pick (No. 28 overall) on him in 2012. In fact, if Perry does not turn things around, that draft class might be considered one of the Packers' worst in recent years. Four of the eight players from that draft already are gone and one other, defensive end Jerel Worthy, has contributed little. What he has to do: First and foremost, Perry must stay healthy. But even that isn't guaranteed to translate into production. Perry has just six sacks in his first two NFL seasons. Outlook: Perry, a defensive end at USC, is going to play the elephant position this season. That means he will move around from outside linebacker to defensive end to perhaps even defensive tackle. Maybe that will suit him better than the outside backer position has so far. Look for the Packers to play Perry on the right side, where he has said he’s more comfortable and has been more effective. Quotable: "He's been in meetings and taking part in that but as far as any work on the field, he hasn't been able to do [anything]," defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. "He obviously has some catching up to do. You miss this segment and you really have to make up some ground in training camp." |
VANCOUVER, Wash. -- A Vancouver woman received quite a shock when she walked out to her car after work Tuesday. Karmen Ayres' windshield was severely cracked and something was protruding from the glass. On closer inspection, she noticed it was a can of hairspray lodged in her cracked windshield. She said she had left the can in her car on the back passenger side seat. PHOTOS: Hairspray can explodes in hot car PHOTOS: Hairspray can explodes in hot car A Vancouver woman's hair spray can launched into her windshield, apparently caused by the 90-plus degree temperatures. May 23, 2017. Submitted and KGW photos. <p>A Vancouver woman's hair spray can launched into her windshield, apparently caused by the 90-plus degree temperatures. May 23, 2017. Submitted and KGW photos.</p> <p>A Vancouver woman's hair spray can launched into her windshield, apparently caused by the 90-plus degree temperatures. May 23, 2017. Submitted and KGW photos.</p> <p>A Vancouver woman's hair spray can launched into her windshield, apparently caused by the 90-plus degree temperatures. May 23, 2017. Submitted and KGW photos.</p> <p>A Vancouver woman's hair spray can launched into her windshield, apparently caused by the 90-plus degree temperatures. May 23, 2017. Submitted and KGW photos.</p> "At first I looked up, because I thought maybe something fell," Eyres said. "But then I noticed it was from the inside out. I was in shock and then I realized what it was." Temperatures in Vancouver reached the low-90s Tuesday. Her car heated up and the can exploded, slamming through her windshield. Word to the wise, don't leave hairspray in your car on a hot day! A Vancouver woman had quite the surprise after her can heated up pic.twitter.com/K2ctFQN0qc — Devon Haskins (@devonhaskins) May 24, 2017 Eyres said she didn't mean to leave the can of hairspray in her car and said she was grateful nobody was in the car when the can exploded. Karmen said she was surprised the can had the force to break her windshield. "It launched like a rocket," she said. An insurance salesperson, Karmen said she's heard of other things exploding in a hot car, like pop cans, wine bottles and even loaded guns. |
Science plays a growing role in crime detection and prosecution, but experts at four universities say a lot can go wrong in the lab, and many people may be wrongly convicted based on bogus claims. Now, the University of Virginia has launched a blog to share research on the subject. Sandy Hausman reports. The analysis of DNA and hair samples, footprints and bite marks may all be used in court to convict people of crimes they did not commit. Even fingerprints can mislead according to Law Professor Brandon Garrett. “Watching a lot of CSI, you might think fingerprints – that’s really old-fashioned. Instead what we found was that people really thought fingerprinting was perfect, and it never occurred to them that there are a lot of steps in the analysis, and that the fingerprint you find at a crime scene may be smeared and deteriorated, It didn’t matter what was aid in the courtroom. If there was a fingerprint match, the jurors thought it was great evidence of someone’s guilt.” In fact, he adds, fingerprints and many other forms of evidence are subject to interpretation by people who can be wrong, and what’s said in the courtroom isn’t always true. “You can’t say with a fingerprint that one in a million people would have this unusual marking on their finger or one in ten. We don’t know. There are not population data bases, and the same is true of bite marks and tool marks and fiber comparisons.” Even the Federal Bureau of Investigation, seen as a leader in law enforcement technology, is backing away from some prior claims. “The FBI has just been re-opening huge numbers of old cases involving hair testimony. Instead of just saying, ‘We looked at these hairs under the microscope. They’re similar,’ they would make claims that, ‘It could only have come from the defendant.’ There was no scientific basis for saying stuff like that. There are number of states that have responded to this by saying, ‘We have a lot of old hair cases too, and all of our hair people were trained by the FBI, so you now have Texas, Massachusetts and two other states re-opening old hair cases, but then you have to wonder, ‘Well how about Virginia?’ I’ve read wrongful conviction cases in Virginia with overstated hair testimony. Texas is doing an audit of all the old bite mark cases, because there are so many questions raised about just how flimsy bite mark analysis is.” And thousands of cases in Texas and other states are being re-opened because of errors in the way the statistics are calculated for DNA mixtures. That’s why UVA has joined forces with Iowa State, Carnegie Mellon and UC Irvine to form the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensics Evidence or C-SAFE. With a $20 million grant from the federal government, they’ll promote research and education to improve the accuracy of forensic evidence – how it’s processed in the lab and explained in the courtroom. To spread the word of its findings, UVA has launched a blog – Forensics Forum – and plans to organize talks and conferences on the subject. |
The article explains why one must never use the (this == 0) expression. It's a very bad code. It being able to work at times doesn't mean anything. By writing (this == 0), you let undefined behavior into your program. From the article: In the same way the compiler can optimize the code comparing "this" pointer to null. According to the Standard, this cannot be null and therefore the checks and the corresponding code branches can be eliminated, which will greatly affect the code dependent on the comparison of "this" pointer to null. The compiler has a full right to "break" (actually just break it further) the code CWindow::GetSafeHandle() and generate machine code which doesn't contain the comparison and only reads the class field all the time. ... GOOD LORD, the "this" pointer equals 0x00000004 on entering the method when compiled in Visual C++ 9, as the pointer initially set to null is adjusted so that it points to the beginning of a subobject of the corresponding class. |
Available only at MidwayUSA, the BSA Tactical Mil-Mil Rifle Scope is perfect for tactical applications, long range target shooting or for use on a 22 trainer. The Tactical Mil-Mil is not your average BSA. Made with premium components and designed to withstand the rigors of tactical use, this scope features fully multi-coated lenses and a glass etched first focal plane reticle. The side focus makes parallax adjustment a breeze while the resettable finger adjustable turrets allow you to easily return to zero. This scope features resettable 1/10 milliradian (MIL) windage and elevation turrets and a MRAD reticle. The combination of these two features enables the shooter to make quick and precise corrections. By using the MRAD reticle to measure how far off the shot is in MILs, each long line is 1 MIL apart, the shooter does not need to convert milliradians to minutes of angle in order to correct the point of aim. With traditional 1/4 MOA turrets, if the point of impact is measured to be 1.5 MILs low the shooter needs to convert the MILs to MOA and then adjust the turrets which can be confusing. With this rifle scope if the shot is 1.5 MILs low then the shooter simply turns the turret 1.5 MILs or 15 clicks. The MRAD reticle can also be used to determine how far away an object of known size is. These features are usually only found in very expensive scopes, but MidwayUSA has worked with BSA to bring you this exclusive high quality scope at a very reasonable price. The BSA Tactical Mil-Mil Rifle Scope is covered by a limited lifetime factory warranty. |
So, there was a fun moment on CNBC: Rick Santelli went on a rant about inflation and the Fed, and CNBC analyst Steve Liesman went medieval on him: It’s impossible for you to have been more wrong, Rick. Your call for inflation, the destruction of the dollar, the failure of the US economy to rebound. Rick, it’s impossible for you to have been more wrong. Every single bit of advice you gave would have lost people money, Rick. Lost people money, Rick. Every single bit of advice. There is no piece of advice that you’ve given that’s worked, Rick. There is no piece of advice that you’ve given that’s worked, Rick. Not a single one. Not a single one, Rick. The higher interest rates never came, the inability of the U.S. to sell bonds never happened, the dollar never crashed, Rick. There isn’t a single one that’s worked for you. You really need to watch this moment: But here’s the thing: before Liesman started, Santelli yelled that he had been right all along — and some of the traders started applauding. Think about that: Liesman is of course right about Santelli’s record, and as I’ve pointed out many times this goes for all the inflationistas. So any trader who believed him would have lost money hand over fist. So why the applause? Basically, I think, it’s because Santelli is their kind of guy; he hates the poors, he hates people who want to help the poors, he was trashing Janet Yellen for suggesting that she actually cares about the plight of the unemployed. And the traders feel the same way. So they like Santelli even though he’s been wrong about everything. |
Congress just sold you out to Comcast, Verizon and AT&T. Big phone and cable companies are so determined to dismantle consumer protections on the open Internet that they've spent millions to flip Congress against you. Earlier this week, many in Congress delivered. On Monday, 74 House Democrats joined 37 Senate Republicans to sign an industry-written letter that tells the Federal Communications Commission to halt all efforts to protect Internet users and stop big companies from blocking Internet traffic. Net Neutrality -- the principle that would keep users in control of the Internet -- was the top communications policy of President Obama when he came into office last year. Obama has repeated his support for an open Internet on several occasions since, and last summer appointed Julius Genachowski to lead the FCC and fulfill this presidential promise. That promise has now been cast into doubt by dozens of Democrats willing to sell out their president, their constituents, and millions of Net Neutrality supporters to do the bidding of special interests. Big Money vs. Common Sense The President wants it and so do millions of Americans It gets even worse. The Democrats' "do nothing" appeal would drastically undercut the FCC's ability to carry out the and connect more people to the Internet. These Democrats are actually taking a position against bringing life-improving broadband services to rural and low-income communities. Their letter warns Chairman Genachowski against pursuing a plan that would enable the FCC to act as a watchdog and serve the public interest over the Internet, preventing phone and cable companies from blocking access to websites and services, while promoting policies that ensure universal and affordable access. "The uncertainty this proposal creates will jeopardize jobs and deter needed investment for years to come," the letter says. "We urge you not to move forward with a proposal that undermines critically important investment in broadband and the jobs that come with it." Say what? Even the top executives at Verizon and Comcast say that the FCC's proposal will have no impact on their investment in broadband networks. And experts overwhelmingly agree that extending broadband services to those stuck on the wrong side of the digital divide would create more jobs. A study by the Brookings Institution and MIT estimated that a one-digit increase in U.S. per capita broadband penetration equates to an additional 300,000 jobs. If our broadband penetration were as high as a country like Denmark's, we could provide approximately three million additional U.S. jobs. The Dirty Little Secret The letter is so full of misleading information that it's hard to know where to begin. But behind it all is one dirty little secret: Nearly every one of these representatives has accepted massive contributions from the phone and cable lobby. Such behavior by elected officials is outrageous and unethical. Perhaps some of these representatives just didn't know what they were signing. Or perhaps this is just business as usual -- members willing to sell out the public in exchange for campaign cash. (Is it any wonder the latest Gallup public opinion poll counts a congressional disapproval rating of 73 percent?) But in putting their names to this letter, these members are telling us to have blind faith that phone and cable companies have the best interests of Americans in mind - and will deliver fast, open and affordable Internet services without government oversight. That's a huge mistake. Comcast and AT&T can no better police themselves to protect the Internet than BP can police itself to protect the oceans. We already know how that ends. The phone and cable companies must play by the rules. In response, Free Press (my day job) is urging hundreds of thousands of people to sign our own letter telling the FCC that Congress doesn't speak for you, President Obama or the millions of other Americans who support a fast, open and affordable Internet. Congress can't hand these companies control over the future of communications. The results would be disastrous. |
Wuthering Heights (Adaptation) Oxford Bookworms Library, Stage 5 By: Emily Bronté, Clare West (adaptation) Narrated by: Ishia Bennison Length: 3 hrs and 17 mins Abridged Overall 4 out of 5 stars 11 11 Performance 4 out of 5 stars 9 Story 4 out of 5 stars 9 The wind is strong on the Yorkshire moors. There are few trees, and fewer houses, to block its path. There is one house, however, that does not hide from the wind. It stands out from the hill and challenges the wind to do its worst. The house is called Wuthering Heights. When Mr Earnshaw brings a strange, small, dark child back home to Wuthering Heights, it seems he has opened his doors to trouble. He has invited in something that, like the wind, is safer kept out of the house. |
The fact that most Australian households with solar PV installed on their rooftops are being ripped off for the power they export to the grid has been reiterated in a new paper published today by energy and environment policy expert, Alan Pears. The report – a submission to the Victorian government on its proposed Renewable Energy Roadmap – notes that in that state, as in many others in Australia, the current levy on PV exports to the grid pays rooftop solar owners around 6 cents/kWh, which is then resold to (mostly) nearby consumers at 20 to 30 cents/kWh, leaving 15-25 cents/kWh to be shared as a “windfall profit” by the retailer and network operator. But according to Pears – one of Australia’s leading energy efficiency experts – this system could be a lot fairer for solar households, while also helping governments to fund renewables growth and the transformation of ageing grid infrastructure, and without cutting into the “legitimate” costs of power retailers and networks. “The government should capture this [15-25 cent] margin (minus the legitimate costs of the retailer and network operator). Part of this should be paid to the PV owner, and part used to fund clean energy development. “In particular, costs of grid upgrades to facilitate high penetration of distributed electricity generation could be funded via this mechanism.” The recommendation is part of a number of strategies outlined by Pears as part of an integrated approach to clean energy, energy efficiency, smart management, storage and renewables the Victoria government could take. According to Pears, this should include action on replacement of gas – by a mix of energy efficiency, solar thermal and advanced renewable electricity technologies – as well as clean transport alternatives. The aim, says Pears, should be to ensure there is enough renewable energy and associated technologies, like energy storage, to keep wholesale electricity prices low – or at least, no higher than they are now – so that renewables “cannot be ‘blamed’ for increases caused by closures of coal power stations or other changes in the electricity market.” He also recommends the Victorian government uses a similar approach to all this as the ACT government, by using a series of ‘contract for difference’ projects sourced via a bidding process possibly run, under contract, by ARENA. “The clean energy strategy should identify and focus investment and interventions on niche markets where clean energy reduces overall societal costs, such as fringe of grid, areas where the grid is ‘stressed’, infrastructure that cuts peak demand, etc,” the submission says. “This should be driven by transparent processes that identify the locations and timing of opportunities, and should encourage third party delivery of services.” On this subject, Pears has a dig at national energy market regulators. “In principle, AEMO should publish an annual ‘statement of opportunities’ for demand side action and renewable energy, but this seems to be outside its interpretation of the ‘industry’ whose market it manages,” he writes. “So the Victorian government should produce this report as a model for AEMO to apply at a national level.” And like the Australian Greens did last week, Pears also proposes inctroducing an increased brown coal levy as an additional revenue source to help finance both renewables development and the wind-up of the state’s coal power sector. “Government should introduce revenue sources to help finance clean energy development (of all kinds) as well as rehabilitation of old coal mines, decommissioning of closed Victorian coal power stations and employment creation in the Latrobe Valley,” the submission says. As we reported last Tuesday, Greens leader Richard di Natale unveiled his party’s policy proposal that would tax Australian coal companies to fund the “billions of dollars” needed to rehabilitate former mine and storage sites and to retrain coal industry workers for jobs in the emerging clean energy industry. “As coal companies go bankrupt or leave Australia, it is coal workers who are hit the hardest, followed by state governments, who are regularly left to foot the bill for cleaning up the mine,” Dr Di Natale said. Indeed, independent analysis of Australian mine closure and rehabilitation liability published in May calculated that Australian mining had generated at least $A18 billion of rehabilitation liabilities, mostly unfunded. As Pears notes in his submission paper, the present brown coal royalty is approximately $1/MWh. “There is scope to increase this to build a fund to cover the decommissioning and rehabilitation of brown coal power stations and mines beyond the amounts presently allocated. Revenue from an increased levy could also be used to fund a VRET and/or targeted energy efficiency and other measures designed to manage impacts on some groups of consumers,” he says. An increase in the royalty would also increase the marginal operating cost of brown coal plants, increasing the likelihood of them being closed under market forces, says Pears. Pears also highlights the importance of a working renewable energy target as part of an efficient energy market transformation. “One argument often raised against a RET or other incentive program is that it transfers wealth from the existing generators. “In a historical context, this is a weak argument. Past distortions in energy markets have worked strongly in favour of these generators. Indeed, some have even received substantial ‘compensation’ payments as part of the Commonwealth government Clean Energy Futures package but no longer pay the carbon price they expected to pay, so they are well ahead!” “This issue of transfers among consumer groups can be dealt with by packaging other measures (such as energy efficiency) with a RET.” |
Denys Fisher (11 May 1918 – 17 September 2002) was an English engineer who invented the spirograph toy and created the company Denys Fisher Toys. He left Leeds University to join the family firm, Kingfisher (Lubrication) Ltd. In 1960 he left the firm to set up his own company, Denys Fisher Engineering, in Leeds. In 1961 the company won a contract with NATO to supply springs and precision components for its 20 mm cannon. Between 1962 and 1964 he developed various drawing machines from Meccano pieces, eventually producing a prototype Spirograph. Patented in 16 countries, it went on sale in Schofields department store in Leeds in 1965. A year later, Fisher licensed Spirograph to Kenner Products in the United States. In 1967 Spirograph was chosen as the UK Toy of the Year. Denys Fisher Toys, which also produced other toys and board games, was sold to Palitoy in 1970 and it was subsequently bought by Hasbro. Through the 1980s & 1990s Fisher continued to work with Hasbro in developing new toys and refining Spirograph. Toys and games [ edit ] Denys Fisher Toys produced the following toys and games: |
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Dozens of looters and thousands of dollars worth of drugs stolen. The DEA launches billboards to find those who wreaked havoc on Baltimore pharmacies during the Freddie Gray riots. Rick Ritter has more on the DEA’s new, week-long campaign. The billboards are along I-83 and I-95, including one near Hanover Street. Agents say 30 pharmacies were ransacked and close to 300,000 doses of drugs were stolen. The DEA is desperate to put the thieves behind bars. One pharmacy after the other—bizarre surveillance video from April 27 shows looters grabbing every drug they can get their hands on. Some communities were left with no medication. “Everyone came in that day, we really had no drugs to give them,” said the owner of Care One Pharmacy. Now a desperate attempt to lock up those thieves. Surveillance images of those accused of wiping out 30 pharmacies in Baltimore were blasted on billboards by the DEA. “We’re trying to identify the people, number one, and number two, we’re trying to get some information of the people who could identify other people,” said Sean Ellerman, DEA. Agents say the billboards rotate various surveillance photos every other minute in an effort to identify 40 suspects who hit those pharmacies hard. “We’re up to almost 288,000 doses of scheduled two to five of narcotics that have been stolen from pharmacies,” Ellerman said. Police blame the drugs on a surge of recent shootings and killings—something the DEA can’t deny. “You cannot separate either one,” Ellerman said. “Narcotics lead to violence.” Hoping the billboards send a strong message to those who think they got away, urging looters to turn themselves in before they’re spotted. “Don’t think because we haven’t spoken to you now or brought you in now [that you’re safe],” Ellerman said. “It’s not going to happen.” Anyone who recognizes any of the surveillance images is urged to call Crime Stoppers immediately. |
Private Internet Access VPN Adds Roger Ver to Advisory Board No-log VPN provider Private Internet Access (PIA) has stepped up its Bitcoin and Blockchain involvement with the appointment of Bitcoin.com founder Roger Ver to its board of advisors. Also read: CryptoCurrency Pubcon is Coming to NYC VPN Provider ‘Thrilled’ to Appoint Ver PIA, owned by parent company London Trust Media, is looking to capitalize on its position as one of the world’s first Bitcoin-accepting businesses. “We are honored and thrilled to officially welcome Roger Ver to Private Internet Access,” London Media CEO Ted Kim said in a press release accompanying the news. “Roger has been an invaluable friend and colleague since the early days of PIA – when we were one of the first companies to start supporting and accepting Bitcoin.” Kim also praised Ver’s “strong background in privacy and encryption” and said both companies were “looking forward to expanding our relationship in the coming years.” Kim also praised Ver’s “strong background in privacy and encryption” and said both companies were “looking forward to expanding our relationship in the coming years.” PIA stated that its board of advisors exists primarily to deal with “digital currency-related decisions.” “The company has reiterated its belief that “access to an open internet is a fundamental human right,” something Ver said chimes with his own future perspective. He explained in the press release: As a long time user of Private Internet Access, I’m thrilled to be able to directly contribute to a company that shares such similar values to my own. Free VPN in Vogue This is Ver’s second such move into the technology advisory sphere in as many months. In June, he announced his joint appointment with Erik Voorhees and Bruce Fenton to the newly-created John McAfee Global Technologies board, of which he will be chairman. “Roger and I both understand that cryptocurrencies are here to stay and that the greatest risk to cryptocurrency users is the uneven security surrounding these currencies,” McAfee said of Ver’s appointment at the time. Meanwhile, VPN availability has seen competition this year, with Opera becoming the first major browser to integrate an unlimited VPN facility earlier this year. We recently saw the launch of its equivalent for Android, after its iOS release was downloaded over a million times since its launch, Wired reports. “The Opera VPN app for Android sets itself apart from other VPNs by offering a completely free service – without a data limit, no log-in required, advanced Wi-Fi protection features and no need for a subscription,” Chris Houston, president of Opera’s VPN subdivision Speakeasy, told the publication. The Opera VPN app can unlock online borders and is the closest thing to a Viking shield that today’s mobile users have for virtual self-protection. What do you think about the PIA’s decision to appoint Roger Ver? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below! Images courtesy of shutterstock |
Android dominates the smartphone market with a share of 82.8%**. Talking about  Ecommerce, it is a little older than 20 years now and needless to say, is growing exponentially. Quick question! What would be the fastest and cheapest way out for bringing your store online? A way which would not compromise on quality and serves your needs right. How about building your store using an open source Ecommerce framework. It’s pretty obvious for you to consider Spree Commerce for this as it perfectly fits into the picture of an ideal Ecommerce storefront and a systematic & easy to use backend. It’s one of the most robust and refined technologies that you could ever hope to use. How about exposing your store to the huge Android market or maybe wanting to start with Android users instead of a website? You know the ‘Mobile first’ thing, don’t you? For all those wanting to build their own Spree commerce android app, here’s the solution.. Vinsol has released the first Spree commerce Open source Android App! All you have to do is, customize it as per your requirement and you’re ready to grab the market in no time. Spree Commerce Open Source Android App It’s an android application built to consume spree commerce API, a front-end consumer centric application that facilitates listing of banners, products, cart, review/rating, social signup and user profile. Implementation Insights Lists implemented using Recycler and card views Stripe payment Gateway integration Http client – Retrofit 2 Image cache – Picasso CoordinatorLayout Infinite ViewPager Configuration/Installation Make changes to the following files: 1. Constants.java Set the base api url to http://shop-spree.herokuapp.com/api/ams/ Configure external links for Contact us, FAQs etc. Add Stripe app key Country id is hard coded for US (change it as per your requirement) 2. Strings.xml For social Sign up / Sign in : Add Facebook App Id (create your app on https://developers.facebook.com/) Compatibility minSdkVersion 17 (Android 4.2) targetSdkVersion 23 (Android 6.0) Coming soon in the next version are features like Search, Wishlist, Notifications, Products sorting, sharing etc Get it here and build your own way to Android Ecommerce! |
There was horror, there was outrage – and just a little scepticism – when a flesh-eating piranha was said to have blocked a sewer in Telford. A variety of mystery fish were found by investigators from Severn Trent Water after people complained of a fishy smell coming into their homes, according to the Shropshire Star. Workmen were sent to clear the "piles of meat-eating piranhas", and speculated that the culprit "was someone who became bored of their pet fish and decided to get rid of them by flushing them away". Matt Final and Jay Slater, who went to investigate the sewers for Severn Trent, said, in a statement released by the company: "We've certainly seen some weird things in the sewers over the years but we were a little shocked to remove piranhas! You wouldn't think a fish of this size would fit down a toilet, but this is just one example of amazing things we find blocking the sewers." However, Star readers were quick to question the findings when the story was published alongside a photograph of the offending fish. Reader Lyndsey Bird was the first to comment: "Those are not piranhas, they appear to be some sort of cichlid, possibly Malawian. Piranhas have extremely small scales and a fused lower jaw. Not to mention the fin and body structure is all wrong. "Having been an avid fishkeeper for many years as well as having a degree in marine and freshwater biology, I get extremely frustrated when fish are mislabled, especially when everyone jumps to the piranha as a default for a large fish." Another reader, Adam Firth, added, with some conviction: "That's not a piranha. It's a type of tilapia." Following several hours of fevered speculation on how a piranha had found itself in a Shropshire sewer, a fish expert confirmed that the fish was indeed a tilapia, a commonly farmed breed. Asked if the water company was sure it was a piranha, Sarah-Jayne O'Kane, a spokeswoman for Severn Trent Water said: "No, we're not. Apparently it's a tilapia, which isn't quite as exciting." Nonetheless it had been a hair-raising experience for the workmen involved, she said. "It scared out guys to death – they were told by a neighbour that someone had been flushing piranhas down the toilet. And you have to admit, it looks quite like a piranha." Whatever the provenance, or breed, of the offending fish, the message remained the same, she said: "At the end of the day people shouldn't be flushing fish down the toilet, it causes blockages and can make it very smelly for your neighbours." This is the second recent sewer blockage in the Shropshire area. In January the company reported sewers in Ditton Priors, near Bridgnorth, were blocked by piles of pants. |
Hello Mr. Delong, I do not argue that Krugman is wrong. I argue that he is reckless, as are those who will advocate for increases in government expenditure without heed to the financial costs and benefits for the nation of those increased public expenditures. My reasons as to why are as follows: #### The Keynesian prescription has always been to engineer an increase in aggregate demand for an ailing economy. The flaw in this reasoning is not found in aggregate demand, which can be easily manipulated by the dearth or superfluity of money. The flaw is found in aggregate supply. In economic hardship, Keynesians inevitably select their preferred remedial lever: augmented government expenditure to utilize idle resources. Suppose the government requires $1 billion for some public venture: a job creation project consisting of workers digging holes in the morning and filling them in during the afternoon: an undertaking of overtly little worth. The government borrows $1 billion on the markets for the diggers’ project. There is an effect upon interest rates, but it is negligible given the size of the economy. And there is a borrowing rate. At the end of the project, idle people were paid to produce nothing for the $1 billion received. They did not build any houses. They did not build cars. They did not enforce the law. They did not create any saleable or valued product. If none had bothered to show up while still receiving pay, the result would have been the same. The flaw in Keynesian reasoning is located within production, and specifically diminished production. When a nation's individuals earn $1 billion, value is given for the income received. The worthy employees gave the economy $1.0 billion worth of production. They built, designed, engineered, insured, piloted, manufactured, performing a variety of economically worthy pursuits and supplying goods that the markets demanded. The earners produced valued goods and services and were rewarded for their efforts. With the earnings, they retired debt, consumed, invested, saved. The $1 billion Dig certainly commandeered labour and consumed materials, equipment, and domestic goods. But the good offered by the project no one needs, no one values. The entire project yielded nothing of value, nothing for consumption or service. The effort’s value comes to naught. If the Dig funds were taxed, it is now $1 billion dollars stripped from productive people and squandered. If the Dig funds were borrowed, as I said they were, it is $1 billion dollars with accruing interest, interest that will fall upon future taxpayers to indefinitely satisfy for an enterprise of no value. The productive workers have supplied a certain amount of saleable goods. The unproductive workers have supplied no saleable goods. But both have the means of competing for a diminished supply of goods. With 90% of the nation employed in worthy pursuits and the idle remainder hired for the worthless Dig, 100% of the nation’s workers will compete in markets for only 90% of the goods, the other 10% being valueless. Too much money chasing to few goods, or by another name – Inflation. If the numbers of workers employed without purpose by government climbs because of the severity of the recession, the entire situation aggravates accordingly: less saleable goods available among consuming competitors. The problem in the Keynesian prescription is not a shortage of aggregate demand, but surprisingly a shortage of aggregate supply. A Keynesian would argue that with demand for goods soaring, companies should increase production. Unfortunately, the projects creating such unsaleable goods have utilized the idled capacity of the economy. Labourers, material, and equipment can be had at a premium, not a discount. For most firms there may be little profit in expanding production and great profit in simply raising prices. Keynesians would argue that most government expenditure yields some value for the nation. Certainly true. However, within public finance there is meager cost and benefit analysis. There is some accounting of the financial costs of public endeavours, often vague and erroneous and usually bearing many an upward adjustment. Yet, an honest accounting of the financial benefits of public enterprise is notoriously absent. There are always costs in the things that we do and there are always benefits. In every decision, we labour at making benefits exceed costs. Had the public expenditure lowered costs or increased revenues for business or diminished prices for the consumer or enlarged his income, by an amount exceeding the funds invested and capital charges, then one may declare the expenditure a success. Until the authorities and economists develop a system and its tools, returns on public expenditures must always be scant or negative. What course would best benefit a nation in recession knowing the present delinquencies and ruinous nature of public expenditure? In economic crisis Government should avoid the use of any resources in equipment, material, and labour unless an evaluation of costs and benefits justifies the undertaking. Put money into the hands of those that know best how to right their financial ship and expend on worthy goods. Put money into the hands of those persons and firms that know well and can produce the items valued by the markets Lower the taxes on many activities and objects, and the nation will thrive. Lower or abolish the income tax and corporate tax, and marginal endeavours shall become profitable, and profitable endeavours far more so. Let the government maintain their present spending and erase taxes. William Gladstone spoke of the reproductive effect of tax cuts on government revenues. He could never quite believe how fast subsequent tax revenues erased and surpassed the created deficiency. That was 150 years ago. Offer financial aid to the idle: A loan for living and schooling expenses to enhance education or a loan to cover the unemployed until the recovery begins. The individual will then be able to decide the best course given his circumstances. If the recovery provides a worthwhile position, the worker will have little reason to ignore it. The student as well. The problem is a lack of worthy production, not a lack of aggregate demand. By limiting saleable and desired production with harmful make work projects, the nation is poorer with the result. By encouraging worthy production and limiting harmful public expenditure, the nation is wealthier with less competition for desired production. Regards, Gary Marshall |
Requirements be currently living in Japan have a Japanese bank account have an excellent command of written English be interested in Japan travel and Japanese culture enjoy keeping up to date with events and new attractions Remuneration Headquartered in Tokyo, Taiken Japan is an English-language website featuring articles about tourism in Japan. Started in August 2014, Taiken Japan offers information about sightseeing destinations, cultural experiences both traditional and modern, festivals, onsen, restaurants and more to make visitors’ trips to Japan the best possible. In Japanese,means “to personally experience things,” and we hope this site will serve as a gateway to fantastic experiences on your next trip to Japan! Japan has a lot to offer to visitors, and we are recruiting talented freelance writers to help us cover the many attractions of the country. We generally request original articles of 500 words or more (in English), primarily aimed at foreigners visiting Japan. Possible topics include sightseeing destinations, events, traditional and popular culture, uniquely Japanese things, and so on. We are also always in need of good photos to show off the allure of Japan, so shutterbugs are especially encouraged to apply! If you are interested, please fill out the below application after checking the requirements!Per article basis Application Form |
An engine on a plane flying from Perth to Hong Kong caught fire shortly after take-off overnight, forcing an emergency landing in Indonesia. A man has contacted the ABC saying his brother was onboard Cathay Pacific flight CX170 when there was a loud bang and sparks and flames. The cabin was then reported to have gone dark. He said about 15 minutes later the captain reported a problem with one of the engines. The plane was diverted to Denpasar in Indonesia and the passengers were booked into a hotel. Cathay Pacific issued a statement confirming it was investigating the engine defect. It said the number two engine on the Airbus A330 was shutdown when the problem arose and an emergency landing was declared. "The aircraft landed safely in Denpasar. Fire services met the aircraft on arrival," the statement read. "There was no fire onboard and no passengers or crew were injured." The airline said the 251 passengers onboard had been provided with hotel accommodation while the issue was being addressed. It also said safety remains the airline's highest priority. |
The latest account published by Daniel Radcliffe’s company reveals that the actor’s amassed earnings are now at £63.9 million (around $79 million), making him one of Britain’s highest-earning actors. The latest figure is considerably bigger than last year’s earnings. It is believed that the 27-year-old actor has allotted a big portion of his earnings in property, stocks, and shares. The report adds that Daniel is also owed £10.2 million (around $12.5 million). [Image by Jason Merritt/Getty Images] Last year, Daniel revealed that he hasn’t really touched his earnings from his Harry Potter films. He told the Telegraph that despite lacking the eagerness to spend on many things, he is thankful that his financial state allows him to pursue his creative yearnings. “I don’t really do anything with my money. I’m very grateful for it, because having money means you don’t have to worry about it, which is a very lovely freedom to have. It also gives me immense freedom career-wise.” Since he does not need to worry about earning to make ends meet, he is able to star in low-budget independent films that Daniel feels are meaningful. “For all the people who’ve followed my career, I want to give them something to be interested in, rather than just make loads of money on c**p films for the rest of my life,” he explained. In 2007, it was reported that Daniel received $50 million for the remaining two films in the Harry Potter franchise. Daniel opted to remain hush about the amount. He said that while the money is “absolutely fantastic” and that being on certain lists “is all very nice,” his main motivation is not to be wealthy. When he accepted the role of the Boy Who Lived, Daniel had no idea how big it was. He told Digital Spy that he only made sense of what was happening when someone in the street recognized who he was and “went crazy.” [Image by Warner Bros] Spending his childhood years under the spotlight was tough. It isn’t rare to hear stories of celebrities his age who have gone astray because of the inevitable temptations in the industry. Daniel credits his parents who handled the worst parts of his job with ease. “I think my parents were really good in how they dealt with it. Whether they were freaked out or not, they’d turn round to me and be like, ‘Isn’t life funny! What a weird thing all this stuff’s happening!’ And I think that gave me a good perspective on it rather than me thinking that all this was happening because I’m so amazing, or it was something to be feared or negative – so they gave me a nice healthy attitude towards it.” The Equus actor also believes that the Harry Potter crew greatly helped him and co-stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. He loved how people on the set treated them as kids before thinking of them as actors. Daniel starred in Imperium, Now You See Me 2, and Swiss Army Man last year. He likewise finished filming for the upcoming movie Jungle. The team had to spend four months in Colombia and Australia to provide a realistic backdrop for Yossi Ghinsberg’s memoir in which he chronicled his three-week fight for survival in Amazon in 1981. The Woman in Black actor said that the role was “hard physically” because he wasn’t eating much despite the long days of filming. Four weeks before the filming for Jungle started, Daniel had to go on a diet to have the look of a lost and struggling adventurer in the unchartered parts of Amazon. Apart from acting in several films, Daniel admits that he is working on a script that he hopes he can direct soon. [Featured Image by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images] |
Employees who work overtime are at increased risk of anxiety and depression, suggests a study in the June Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). Elisabeth Kleppa and colleagues of the University of Bergen, Norway, analyzed data on work hours from a larger study of Norwegian men and women. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using a standard screening questionnaire. Anxiety and depression scores were compared for 1,350 workers who worked overtime, 41 to 100 hours per week; and approximately 9,000 workers who worked normal hours, 40 hours or less. Working overtime was associated with higher anxiety and depression scores among both men and women. The rate of questionnaire scores indicating "possible" depression increased from about nine percent for men with normal work hours to 12.5 percent for those who worked overtime. For women, the rate of possible depression increased from seven to eleven percent. In both sexes, rates of possible anxiety and depression were higher among workers with lower incomes and for less-skilled workers. The relationship between overtime and anxiety/depression was strongest among men who worked the most overtime 49 to 100 hours per week. Men working such very long hours also had higher rates of heavy manual labor and shift work and lower levels of work skills and education. Previous studies have raised possible health and safety concerns of working long hours. However, most studies of this issue have focused on the health effects of shift work, rather than overtime. Under European Union work rules, employees have the right to refuse to work more than 48 hours per week. The new results support this directive by showing increased rates of anxiety and depression among overtime workers. Men working more than 48 hours per week are at highest risk, although the authors note that working even moderate overtime hours seems to increase the risk of "mental distress." The study permits no conclusions about how working long hours leads to increased anxiety and depression. It could be that working overtime leads to increased "wear and tear," or that individuals with characteristics predisposing to anxiety and depression (such as low education and job skills) are more likely to take jobs requiring long work hours. About ACOEM ACOEM (http://www.acoem.org), an international society of 5,000 occupational physicians and other health care professionals, provides leadership to promote optimal health and safety of workers, workplaces, and environments. About Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (http://www.joem.org) is the official journal of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Edited to serve as a guide for physicians, nurses, and researchers, the clinically oriented research articles are an excellent source for new ideas, concepts, techniques, and procedures that can be readily applied in the industrial or commercial employment setting. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 530 Walnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19106 United States http://www.lww.com |
Miss Cunnane's friend said she had been a compulsive shopper for years The body of an elderly shopaholic was found underneath a pile of clothing and other items after she died of natural causes, an inquest heard. Joan Cunnane's bungalow was so crammed with purchases it took five visits to the house before she was found. She had refused to let her friends into the house in Heaton Mersey, Stockport Magistrates' Court was told. Her friend Roy Moran said the 77-year-old started shopping to escape youths who once plagued her home. Mr Moran told the court: "She said it gave her pleasure to buy things, she only bought things she really liked." Mr Moran last saw his friend on Christmas Day 2008 when they had lunch together. 'Substantial pile' He visited her bungalow in Rosgill Close four days later and found the side door ajar, but the premises was stacked from floor to ceiling with "bric-a-brac". "He couldn't see her anywhere and got no response," said coroner John Pollard. Mr Moran said he visited Miss Cunnane's house on three occasions without seeing her. Concerned neighbours called police on 6 January but the first search of her bungalow was unsuccessful because of "the large amount of personal property and papers within", Det Insp Kevin Dolan said in a statement. Police returned the next day with a truck and a skip to clear it out and conduct a second search. Det Insp Dolan said Ms Cunnane's body was found in a bedroom "under a substantial pile of clothing and other items". Pathologist Philip Lumb said Miss Cunnane died as a result of bronchial pneumonia, and also had cancer. Coroner Mr Pollard recorded a verdict of death by natural causes. |
Surfing at the 2020 Summer Olympics Governing body ISA Events 2 (men: 1; women: 1) Games 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Medalists Surfing at the Summer Olympics will make its debut in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. After several attempts at inclusion in the Olympics, the International Surfing Association has been successful in getting surfing included in the 2020 Games. Setting [ edit ] With the decision to have surfing at the 2020 Summer Olympics, officials announced that surfing would take place in the ocean, and not in a wave pool such as those from the Kelly Slater Wave Company as had been speculated. The contest site for the 2020 Games was decided to be Shidashita Beach, or “Shida,” located about 40 miles outside of Tokyo in Chiba. In order to ensure quality surf, the contest will feature a waiting period of 16 days. Once the event runs, it will take two days to finish competition.[1] Competition structure [ edit ] The 2020 Summer Olympics will use a four-man heat structure,[2] Four athletes will compete at any given time. The best two of each heat will continue to the next round. Each heat will run for 20 to 25 minutes, with their top two scores being used. Only one rider may ride a wave at any given time. Using common surfing etiquette[3] rule where the surfer who is closest to the peak has right of way. Any interference with the surfer who has right of way, can incur a penalty and result in point deductions. A panel of judges will determine each riders performance from wave to wave, scoring from one to ten with two decimals. e.g. 8.51. Scores are based on the difficulty of manoeuvres performed. This includes speed, power, and flow of each manoeuvre.[4] Bid for inclusion [ edit ] On September 28, 2015, surfing was featured on a shortlist along with baseball, softball, skateboarding, karate, and sport climbing to be considered for inclusion in the 2020 Summer Olympics.[5] On August 3, 2016 the International Olympic Committee voted to include all five sports (counting baseball and softball as a single sport) for inclusion in the 2020 Games.[6] Potential participation [ edit ] Professional surfer Kelly Slater, widely considered to be the greatest surfer of all time,[7] has stated that "it'd be a huge honor" for him to participate in the Olympics, even at the age of 48, which he will have reached in 2020.[8] Additionally, it is likely that the dominant surfers of the World Surf League, such as Gabriel Medina and John John Florence, will be selected by their respective countries to participate in the Games. However, the national qualifying can potentially create a problem for American and Hawaiian surfers, since Hawaii, considered a separate country from the United States in the World Surf League, will be included in the American quota for the Olympics. This is evident considering that Tatiana Weston-Webb, who competed as a Hawaiian for her entire career, changed her representation for Brazil, a move that improved her chances of qualifying for the 2020 Surfing Olympic Tournament - according to the 2018 World Surf League Women's ranking on May 18, 2018, when Weston-Webb was a Hawaiian surfer, she would qualify as the 2nd best American surfer, with a tough competition from Lakey Peterson, Carissa Moore and Caroline Marks. However, since she now competes as a Brazilian, she would qualify as the best surfer of her birth country, with a huge advantage over the second Brazilian, Silvana Lima. Number of participants [ edit ] There will be 20 men, and 20 women competing in the 2020 Summer Olympics,[9] This is currently limited to high-performance shortboards only,[10] separated into categories of gender. If surfing is included in upcoming games such as Paris 2024 or Los Angeles 2028, other categories such as Longboarding, bodyboarding and SUP maybe included.[11] Qualification [ edit ] Quota places will be allocated to the athletes at the following events: Host Country: Japan as host country is allocated 1 place in both men's and women's events. If at least one Japan has earned a qualification place through other events, the relevant Host Country Place(s) shall be reallocated to the next highest ranked eligible athlete at the 2020 World Surfing Games. 2019 World Surf League Championship Tour - the 10 highest ranked men and 8 highest ranked women will be awarded quota places. 2019 ISA World Surfing Games - the top finishers from each continent with the exception of the Americas will be awarded a quota place. 2019 Pan American Games - the top finisher in men's and women's events will be awarded a quota place. 2020 ISA World Surfing Games - the top 4 men and 6 women will be awarded quota places. If a NOC or National Olympic Committee qualifies more than the maximum number of athletes, the 2020 ISA World Surfing Games will prevail and any places earned from 2019 will be reawarded to the next highest finishing athlete(s). There is a maximum of 2 men and 2 women per NOC. [12] Timeline [ edit ] Event Places (Men) Places (Women) Date Venue Host Country 1 1 2019 Pan American Games 1 1 July 26, 2019 – August 11, 2019 Lima, Peru 2019 World Surf League 10 8 April 2019 - Dec 2019 various 2019 ISA World Surfing Games 4 4 April – September 2019 TBD 2020 ISA World Surfing Games 4 6 April - May 2020 TBD Re-allocation of unused quotas - - June 26, 2020 N/A Medalists [ edit ] Event Gold Silver Bronze Men’s details Women’s details See also [ edit ] |
There's been a lot of talk about Hector Lombard challenging for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight title. So much, in fact, that it's pissed some fighters off when learning a Bellator import would only need one win to get a crack at the crown. Other fighters see it as an opportunity. That includes Tim Boetsch, who's been tasked with welcoming "Shango" to the Octagon at the UFC 149 pay-per-view (PPV) event on July 21, 2012 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Lombard, who was originally booked for a Brian Stann fight at UFC on FOX 4, replaces the injured Michael Bisping north of the border. "The Barbarian" tells FC Fighter he's ready to "take him out" in "impressive fashion" and make his own case for a shot at the winner of Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen, who compete for gold at UFC 148 on July 7 in Las Vegas. Those comments, after the jump. "My opponent’s popularity doesn’t concern me at all. I think an interesting fact is how highly regarded Hector is by the UFC. Dana White had said himself that Hector would get a title shot if he had gone in and defeated Stann handily. I hope he gives me the same shot when I take Hector out. I felt like that after beating Bisping I would have to win one more fight after that to earn the right to be called the number one contender, but I think if I take Hector out in an impressive fashion that’s going to jump me to the front of the line." Since dropping to middleweight in early 2011, Boetsch (15-4) has rattled off three straight wins inside the division. That includes a technical knockout (TKO) win over former 185-pound number one contender Yushin Okami at the UFC 144 event last February in Japan. He's yet to taste defeat in his new eight class, but are you ready to call him the next contender with an upset win over Lombard? To get up to speed on all the news and notes for UFC 149 click here. To see the ever-changing fight card and line-up click here. |
When you are looking through the list of available local calendars in Universalis, you may be puzzled by the mysterious “Eastern General” calendar which appears just before “Europe” in the list. Here is an explanation. The Orthodox Church, like the Anglican Church, rejected the scientifically-based reform to the calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 after hundreds of years of astronomical research. The Anglicans, and Protestants generally, moved to the Gregorian Calendar a century or two later, but the Orthodox never did. Accordingly dates in the Orthodox calendar happen 13 days later than their homologues in our calendar: their New Year is celebrated on our 14 January and their Christmas on our 7 January. This inevitably has consequences for the date of Easter. Easter is the Sunday after the first full moon after 21 March, so if the sequence in any given year is “our 21 March, the full moon, their 21 March (our 3 April)” then the Eastern Easter will be one moon later than ours: in other words, about a month later. (There is actually more scope for variation since the Pope also updated the algorithms for calculating the date of the full moon, another change that the Orthodox didn’t follow). For Catholics living in Orthodox lands, the result of following the usual Catholic calendar would be that their Easter (and Lent, and Pentecost,…) was a week or a month out of step with their neighbours’. For the sake of harmony, they therefore use a hybrid calendar in which the dates of feasts and saints are the same as ours – Christmas on our 25 December, not on our 3 January – but Easter is celebrated on the same day the Orthodox celebrate it. And that is what the “Eastern General” calendar in Universalis does. |
Wendy Whitaker, 29, has been on Georgia's sex offender list for more than 12 years. Her crime? She performed oral sex on a high school classmate just after turning 17. The boy was just shy of his 16th birthday. Both were sophomores. Whitaker is now suing, claiming that given her crime, her sex offender status is cruel and unusual punishment. After the international uproar associated with the Genarlow Wilson case (Wilson, you'll remember, was convicted of a similar crime—having consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old while he was 17), Georgia's legislature clarified state law to prevent these sorts of cases—what Whitaker did 12 years ago is no longer a crime in Georgia. But because some Georgia lawmakers stubbornly wanted to keep Wilson in jail, the legislature took a separate vote to keep the law from applying retroactively. Wilson and Whitaker are still convicted felons. Whitaker's suit cites the Georgia Supreme Court's ruling in Wilson's case, which found that Wilson's 10-year sentence and mandatory sex offender status amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. The question is whether the court will consider the registration requirement in and of itself cruel and unusual punishment for people convicted of consensual oral sex as minors before the law was changed. Whitaker is also involved in a second lawsuit—this one to keep her house. In 2006, she and her husband scoped out neighborhood surrounding the Harlem, Georgia home they eventually purchased to be sure they were in compliance with Georgia's sex offender law at the time. That law prohibited offenders from living within 1,000 feet of any area where children congregate. Despite their efforts, local authorities ordered Whitaker and her husband to vacate shortly after they moved in. They had overlooked a nearby church, which was running an unadvertised daycare service. That law was struck down by the Georgia Supreme Court last year, giving Whitaker a brief reprieve. But Georgia's legislature then passed a revised law earlier this year, one lawmakers apparently believed is in compliance with the state supreme court's decision, but that still manages to rope in Whitaker. Last week, she was told she has to move out of her home by Thanksgiving. If that happens, she'll likely have to foreclose. reason's Jacob Sullum wrote on Georgia's sex offender law here and here. Kerry Howley wrote on sex offender exile laws here. |
If you think competitive Counter-Strike is in an ideal spot right now, you've got no scope on the current CS:GO scene, according to Hampus "Shaabi" Johansson. The Rogue CS:GO manager appeared on theScore esports Podcast Monday to talk about the team’s upcoming academy squad, burnout and the current state of Counter-Strike. When the health of the competitive scene came up, Johansson made his thoughts clear. “Right now it’s way too many events,” he said. "There should be one main league and then there should be other events around it." Johansson said ideally CS:GO should have a single global league, with online stages for different regions, a mid-season invitational, a split and a "big final" event, in the League of Legends style. But league logistics aren't the only challenge facing the competitive scene right now, said Johansson. There's also the increasing price tag associated with fielding a tier one team. "If you knew the salaries, they’re up in the 20s. Up in 20k a player [per month]," said Johansson. "People are getting big, big investment money and that of course is going to inflate the price of a player," he told theScore esports Podcast. “I’m a big player advocate, I love that the salaries are getting bigger and bigger, however the pace that they’ve been racing on might not be too healthy in terms of the business perspective for orgs." So how does an org without big money investment compete? "You don't," he said. “I don't think it’s sustainable for an org without investor money, which is going to try and pay $25,000 per player, [per month] is going to have a rough time, no matter who it is,” he told theScore esports Podcast. “In terms of that aspect, it’s not very healthy.” But while the current CS:GO competitive scene isn’t perfect, it’s come a long way, said Johansson. Rogue treats CS:GO like a job. The team punches in for practice around 11 a.m. and has “a normal eight hour day," he said. “Then we have the night, or the afternoon, whatever, off, so we can go hang out with girlfriends, family. We can do fun stuff while playing playing the game, which wasn’t the case two years ago or a year ago.” Set schedules and healthy routines are an important step for top-level teams to take, Johansson said. “Let’s say you’re travelling for three weeks out of four in a month. “You’re going to spending so much time with these five or six different individuals that you have in the team, so that’s also something that creates drama within the team, no matter who it is," Johansson said. "If you’re best friends for five years, you’re still going to have drama.” Colin McNeil is a supervising editor for theScore esports. You can follow him on Twitter. |
Joe Caldwell’s goal is to go in the 6s at more than 200 mph and accomplish a goal that “Racin’ Jason” Betwarda planned on running, but tragically passed away before doing so. His longtime friend has brought together the car’s original builder, C&F Race Cars, and engine supplier Duttweiler Performance and brought in new players such as PSI Solutions/Frank Soldridge and RACE Wires to take aim at the mark. The car’s original pilot, Mike Ragusa, will once again be behind the wheel. There is no doubt the Fox-body Mustang has played a tremendous role in today’s dragstrip wars, from the booming no-prep scene to even having its own dedicated drag-racing series in the NMRA sanctioning body. It has become the modern generation’s Tri-Five or first-gen Camaro—however you want to look at it. The aftermarket is still churning out parts, and the restoration side of the market is equally as impressive. But if there was a car that helped define Mustang drag racing back in the 1990s, it was the 1987 Mustang GT convertible owned by “Racin’ Jason” Betwarda. The New York car owner was hell bent on crushing records and being the king of the Mustang drag-racing world. He was one of many determined racers of the time, which helped spawn a Mustang-spec drag-racing circuit that is still going strong today. The legendary Racin’ Jason Mustang became the first 7-second car of its kind and held the title of quickest and fastest Mustang for quite a number of years. Sadly, Betwarda was killed during a racing accident in one of his other race cars. Shortly after his passing, the legendary convertible bounced around between a few owners before it was lost in the abyss of a storage unit. The Mustang turned up a decade later in an abandoned unit in Illinois when Betwarda’s longtime friend, Joe Caldwell, saved it in 2014. Caldwell wanted to finish what Betwarda had started, but the car hadn’t been raced in nearly 20 years. A lot has changed since then, from SFI safety requirements to simply better parts and pieces. Caldwell tapped two important companies to preserve the car’s legacy: C&F Race Cars modernized the chassis and beefed it up for the run to the 6s, while Duttweiler supplied the small-block that was once owned by Racin’ Jason and it’s fastened to a couple of Turbonetics turbos. Team Z Motorsports was another major contributor to the project. Frank Soldridge of PSI Solutions is credited with tuning the BigStuff3 EFI system as the car produced 1,850 rwhp, which works out to roughly 2,200 hp at the crankshaft. Short-Block A Dart block with a Windsor 9.5-inch deck height is the foundation for the 2,200 hp and it displaces 405 cid. Engine builder Ken Duttweiler arrived at that displacement thanks to a 4.147-inch bore and a 3.750-inch throw on the Crower billet steel crankshaft. A set of eight Crower steel connecting rods and Diamond custom pistons (9.8:1 compression) round out the rotating assembly. Keeping the bottom-end lubricated is the job of a Billet Fabrication oil pan and Aviaid dry-sump oiling system. Cylinder Heads/Camshaft A turbo engine might not need massively high-flowing cylinder heads like a naturally aspirated or nitrous-injected powerplant, but it still requires good airflow to create more than 2,000 hp. To that end, Duttweiler turned to noted NASCAR engine builder Ernie Elliot for a pair of Ford Performance Yates cylinder heads. The intake ports flow in excess of 400 cfm. The custom solid roller camshaft spec’d by Duttweiler is kept under control thanks to stiff valvesprings and T&D steel rocker arms. A Danny Bee beltdrive turns the camshaft and allows easy cam timing adjustments. Induction A pair of Turbonetics Y2K 88mm turbochargers pumps up the stroker Windsor engine, and initial testing was at 29 psi of boost. The turbos are capable of going up to 36 psi, by the way. A Chiseled Performance 4000-series liquid-to-air intercooler is mounted on the passenger side and feeds into an Accufab 105mm throttle-body. The intake manifold is a sheetmetal one from Wilson Manifolds. Fuel System/Fuel Management The engine is fed high-octane racing fuel by an Aeromotive beltdriven fuel pump and fuel pressure regulator, which feeds a set of eight Bosch 165-lb/hr fuel injectors. On the digital side, Frank Soldridge of PSI Solutions is responsible for tuning the BigStuff3 engine-management system along with a MSD Digital 7 ignition system. RACE Wires also added a Bump Box to aid the driver in staging the car and a RacePak V300 data logger. Drivetrain Harnessing the horsepower is the job of an ATI Performance Powerglide with SFI-approved case. Soldridge added a Pro Torque EV1 torque converter for limited slip, but it lets the engine rev easily on the transbrake to build boost on the starting line. The power is transferred through a Strange Engineering carbon-fiber driveshaft and into a C&F Race Cars custom 9-inch housing. A set of 4.10 gears turns the massive Goodyear Eagle 33×16-inch tires, while a custom C&F Race Cars four-link system with wishbone and antiroll bar help plant the tires. |
“We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.” — John F. Kennedy, February 26, 1962 If Kennedy was right, then the United States and its partners in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) must be very afraid indeed of their people. Despite a promise made only weeks ago by the EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström to “publish detailed and extensive reports of the negotiations,” key documents recording details of negotiations between Big Tobacco and the EU were heavily redacted before being posted on the official EU website. Virtually every word of the documents recording correspondence with and minutes of meetings with tobacco lobbyists and representatives of the governments of the United States, Japan, and the European Union was blacked out before being made available online. In one example typical of the amount of pre-publication editing, a 14-page letter from British American Tobacco revealed fewer than five percent of the text. What was visible was little more than the written version of small talk. Another egregious example of what the EU and U.S. trade representatives consider “access” and “transparency” is a single page memo of a meeting with lobbyists working for Philip Morris. In that offering to openness, even the date was redacted! Activists in Europe have requested the full record of these meetings, supposing that they would reveal efforts by multinational tobacco conglomerates to include revocations of national (American, Japanese, and European) restrictions on the advertising, buying, and selling of tobacco. An EU watchdog organization specializing in monitoring corporate lobbying is preparing to file a complaint with an EU government agency to force Big Tobacco and the representatives of the TTIP member nations to expose to the people of all interested countries the full, unredacted record of these critical conversations. Regardless of the true purpose of these meetings, the fact that the participants want them kept secret is telling. What is certainly not secret is the fact that U.S. law will be abrogated by whatever agreements the trade negotiators work out in secret with the tobacco industry and other segments of big business that see an opportunity to circumvent the Constitution and promulgate new, more favorable, less restrictive regulations. Constitutionalists in America and friends of liberty and economic freedom on both sides of the Atlantic are fully aware that the TTIP is not to the liking of any right thinking person. Speaking of the damage to representative, republican government lurking in the TTIP, The New American’s senior editor, William F. Jasper, writes: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) proposes to begin “deep and comprehensive” integration between the 28 member states of the European Union and the United States. Over the course of the past several years, we have published many articles detailing the dangers posed by these (still officially secret) agreements. We are bringing together here, in abbreviated form, 10 of those reasons why every American — whether identifying as Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Independent, Tea Party, liberal, conservative, or constitutionalist — should oppose both of these proposals. Jasper goes on to list 10 reasons to oppose the TTIP. It is that word “integration,” though, that should evoke the greatest resistance from Americans and Europeans who understand our common legacy of individual liberty and the trouble that is caused by political consolidation. Again, Jasper’s analysis is noteworthy: The TPP/TTIP architects are drawing from the “success” of the European Union. In the development of the European Union — from its origin as the European Coal and Steel Community to the Common Market to the European Community to, finally, the EU — this subversive mutational process has been referred to as “broadening and deepening.” Broadening (or “widening”) refers to the constant expansion through addition of new member-states; deepening refers to the constant creation of new supranational institutional structures and continuous expansion and usurpation by regional authorities of powers and jurisdiction that previously were exercised by national, state, and local governments. The “living,” “evolving” treaties and agreements of the EU have eviscerated the national sovereignty of the EU member-states and increasingly subjugated them to unaccountable rulers in Brussels under the rubric of “integration,” “harmonization,” “an ever closer union,” “convergence,” “pooled sovereignty,” “interdependence,” and “comprehensive cooperation.” Of course, the most relevant and revealing question is why would negotiators — corporate and government — continue trying so hard to conceal the content of their negotiations if the deal were good for Americans? In his exposé, Jasper points out that that “transparency” deception isn’t confined to the European politicians: The Obama administration has audaciously claimed that the TPP and TTIP processes are “completely transparent,” and President Obama has publicly claimed to be peeved by charges (false charges, he says) that there is any secrecy involved. But the president is talking utter nonsense, if facts mean anything. It is a fact that after more than three years of (secret) negotiations, the administration still has not made the draft texts of either of the agreements available to the public. When it comes to keeping Americans in the dark about multinational, unconstitutional trade deals, Obama has proven himself quite capable of cooking up some whoppers: In a press conference attended by this reporter in December 2013, it was admitted that in the official document outlining the deal, the Obama administration makes clear that an agreement will not be chiefly focused on matters related to international trade, but rather “behind-the-border” (read: domestic) policies such as health, environmental, and monetary policy. As with so many of the other panoply of recent trade deals, multinational corporations operating within the United States and the EU are achieving quasi-governmental power and using that authority to limit the ability of U.S. and EU courts to enforce domestic laws, particularly those that the corporate interests deem detrimental to their bottom line. If the globalist and corporate interests in the United States and Europe successfully silence the outrage of the opposition on both sides of the Atlantic and achieve adoption of the agreements, then the integration of the United States with regional blocs in the Pacific and Atlantic will rush headlong toward completion and the ultimate surrender of sovereignty will ride up rapidly on its heels. As it stands today, despite the redactions, it appears that the right of Americans to elect those empowered to make laws is being repealed by corporate lobbyists meeting safely behind a thick veil of secrecy. |
“I think we should know who we are bringing in here, who we are making one of us, it is one big family and the main duty of the president is to protect us, each as his family,” Jamal Omar said. While many people around the nation are protesting the executive order President Donald Trump has signed, some are for the ban. The temporary ban affects people from the countries of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The order keeps refugees from entering the country for 120 days and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim nations out for three months. Omar, who was raised in a Muslim family, agrees with the temporary ban, he believes it shouldn't be a permanent solution. "There is a lot of detail that I might generally disagree with, but I do think there needs to be a lot of kinks that need to be figured out, there are a lot of things that do need to be fixed,” Omar said. Omar says he isn't surprised by the ban because in 2011 President Barack Obama prevented Iraqis from entering the U.S. for six months "For the most part, when people call it a Muslim ban, it's not a Muslim ban because there are so many countries that aren't banned,” Omar said. Over 40 mostly Muslim countries are not covered by the ban, such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. LSSND CEO Jessica Thomasson says they were expecting about 40 people to resettle in North Dakota with three families coming from Iraq. "Their reaction is as you would expect. Any family would be pretty heartbroken to find out that after going through the screening process for a couple of years and being approved to travel and finding out that travel is cancelled is a really difficult thing,” Thomasson said. But for LSS, the executive order wasn't a surprise. "Certainly, given all the conversation that happened throughout the course of the campaign, it isn't a surprise that there were changes that were coming to immigration and refugee resettlement,” Thomasson said. "It’s America’s job to protect me, a citizen of the country. I am not saying these are the people that are going to cause harm, but there are people that wish to do harm no matter the ethnicity,” Omar said. |
Course Curriculum Become a full-stack developer at our fully immersive software development course. You’ll learn frontend to backend web development by becoming familiar with web stack program languages like HTML5. CSS3, Javascript, Git, Github, NodeJS, ReactJS, and many more. Learn more about some of these languages: GIT & GITHUB Git is the de facto standard for source version control and team collaboration. GitHub is the most used web based code hosting service. These technologies are crucial to your contribution in the modern workplace, as well as in helping you to secure, protect and archive your code. As such, they are also an important part of our website development program, so that every student finishes with the confidence and ability to work on a team in the modern development environment. HTML 5 & CSS 3 As part of the web developer bootcamp, we'll cover how to use HTML and CSS to build a modern, professional website. To get ahead of current trends, and equip yourself with future proof knowledge, you will learn mobile and responsive techniques that are crucial for building websites and apps in the modern, "multi-device" age. Javascript JavaScript is the language of the web. If you use the web then you’ve interacted with content built with JavaScript. We’ll teach you how to leverage JavaScript to build full-scale web applications like those you use everyday. At DevMountain, you’ll learn industry standards, best practices, and advanced techniques that will push you to the next level. React JS React is the JavaScript library of choice when it comes to companies and developers building web applications. It’s lightweight, incredibly intuitive, and fun to use. From large enterprise applications, to small personal projects, learning React will add an anchor to your skillset and help you hit the ground running as a web developer. Node JS At DevMountain, you’ll learn all of the necessary tools to make a full web application. That includes server side components, which will allow you to store, retrieve, and manipulate data for your users. NodeJS is the incredibly popular tool for building servers and a suite of other services. It utilizes the JavaScript and its ecosystem to build powerful, dynamic, and performant backend solutions for your applications. DATABASES In the modern web landscape, data is everything. Learning how you will store, access, and remove your app’s data is essential to being a full-stack developer. That’s why, at DevMountain, we’ll teach you the fundamentals of data storage and management. We’ll help you leverage the ubiquitous SQL query language to provide long-lasting data to your applications and really bring them to life. |
Boy, we goalies have come a long way with our equipment, haven’t we? It seems like just a few seasons ago that everyone was still stopping pucks with thick leather pads of every team color that could have been incorporated, tastefully or not. A lot of pads were shaped relatively similar too, with all having the standard thigh rise, outer roll, knee rolls, and for the most part they all had boot breaks. Oddly enough, NHL regulations were a little lackadaisical compared to the way things are now. We’ve seen a number of revisions, specifically on pads. We even had a goalie pad change last season, reducing the pads thigh height. Corey Crawford was often criticized for his seemingly over-sized pads before the rule changes at the beginning of the 2013-14 NHL season. Photo Credit: Rob Grabowski/USA Today Sports There were many occasions before where pads were deemed too large; they were typically too wide or too long in a certain section. That’s impossible now, as the new rules break every sizing section down to a formula for measurement. Currently rules say pads shall not exceed 11” in extreme width while worn by the player. As for length, the league has full discretion on what height a goaltender is allowed to wear. This is based on measurements taken of a goalies “floor to center of knee” and “Center of knee to pelvis”. Each goalie is given a limiting size based on these measurements. The formula the NHL has implemented as of the 2013-2014 season is floor to knee height + 45% of knee to pelvis + 4” skate allowance. Corey Crawford with his new pads after the rule changes implemented at the beginning of the 2013-14 season. Photo Credit: David Hutchinson/InGoal Today’s goalie pads, despite all of these restrictions, vary immensely between materials, shapes, sizes, internal components, and fittings. Many companies out there are making goalie pads. Most of them are major companies, however there are some local companies, especially within Canada. The major companies are: Bauer, Reebok/CCM, Vaughn, and Brian’s. All of these companies have very distinctive pads that they make, and none of their products are similar especially in appearance and fitting, but all do follow a pattern in some way. There are two “styles” of pads that reflect a goalies play style, hybrid and blocking (See my article on Goaltending styles!). Hybrid pads are a softer styled pad; they are meant to flex more and absorb the shock of the puck keeping it close to the goalie on rebound. They will feature multiple breaks above the knee as well as knee rolls in some cases for added flexibility, and a tapered boot and deeper leg channel for added control and flexibility. A good example would be the Vaughn Velocity line. Blocking pads are more rigid and built with a denser foam. They are much less flexible, but maintain their shape overtime and are much more flat faced and squared off for more coverage and better rebound control, as pucks tend to bounce off blocking pads. A good example of these pads would be Reebok’s XLT line. The Anatomy of the pad these days, as previously mentioned, changes distinctively from company to company. They all have different looks and feel depending on the company that made it. However remember with all these legal limitations, there still is some basic structure before it gets too confusing. The following is a basic breakdown of what most pads will have incorporated. The front of the pad or, “Pad Face” Photo Credit: Total Hockey Inc. Outer Roll – Stuffed roll on the outside edge of the pad, preventing the puck from “skipping over” the pad. Pad breaks located here determine the overall flexibility. Pads with no breaks are typically rigid, good for blocking goalies and goalies with little five-hole issues. Pads with 1-2 breaks are much more flexible, with one break below the knee and one break above the knee. These pads will flex to close the five-hole for the goalie. Thigh Rise – This is the face of the pad that extends above the knee area. This is the area mostly in question with last year’s regulation change, mostly in its necessary length. This is also the area affected by +1” or +2” measurement found on some pads. Knee Rolls – Some pads, usually hybrid pads, will have knee rolls. Typically, three allow for more breaks and flexibility around the knee. Some are soft, filled with shredded foam like in Vaughn pads. Some will be rigid strips of high density foam for stronger rebounds off the knee, such as in the Bauer Reactor series. Jonathan Quick uses pads with knee rolls. Knee Area Flat Surface – Instead of knee rolls, there may be one sheet of high density foam spanning across entire knee section for a stronger, rigid feel giving off more predictable rebounds. Henrik Lundqvist uses pads without knee rolls. Toe Tie/Bridge – A toe tie is a simple lace found at the bottom of the pad used to anchor the pad to the skate, as it is tied through the skate. A toe bridge acts the same, but it is two pieces of sliding plastic with a lace that allows for the lace to slide along the bottom of the skate to offer more comfort. They function equally, however I personally find that the bridge does offer more comfort but creates a possibly undesirable looser feel. Pad Interior Photo Credit: Total Hockey Inc. Thigh Gaurd – An additional piece of protection that attaches to the goalies knee or thigh area. These are laced in and can be removed and customized to a goalie’s needs. Some are squared and some are rounded to sit under a goalies pants. Some are thin, some have extra padding. Some goalies have even completely removed them and used separate knee padding. Knee Lock – Sheets of foam padding on either side of the knee area, attaching together with a Velcro strap to keep the goalies knee in place within the pad. Landing Gear – Found on the inside of the pad, beside the inside knee lock, it is typically a foam block or foam sheeting used to cushion the impact of the ice to a goalies knee upon dropping to the butterfly. Pads can be added or subtracted. Leg Channel – Refers to the channel inside the pad where a goalies lower leg would sit. They vary on length, depth, and width depending on style. This is where a lot of pads will vary the most. Some have added gel or softer materials for comfort such as Brian’s Sub Zero line, where others are still very traditional with moisture absorbing materials and lightweight materials. Deep narrow leg channels are usually found on hybrid pads to promote comfort and control of the pad. Shallow, wide channels are for a blocking style pad as they allow the pad to rotate better and sit in position. Calf lock – Sheets of foam located on each side of the goalies calf, very similar to the knee lock. They allow for greater protection as well as keeping the pad tighter to the leg and less use of the leather calf straps required. Boot Channel – The area of the pad that sits on the goalies skates. Like leg channels, boot channels also vary in depth and how they sit. Some may even still have boot breaks like older pads, allowing the skate to sit “in” the pads, while some may be filled in completely and make the pads sit on top of the skate such as Mission’s lineups. Medial Edge – This refers to the inside edge that hits the ice while in butterfly. Keeping all things in mind, maybe now we can all see why Goalie pads fetch quite a high price, especially at the pro level equipment. There are so many things incorporated, kept in mind, thought out, and tested on when fabricating goalie equipment. Check out this video on how goalie pads are made to see the amount of detail that goes into making a single goalie pad. Every year it seems there are not only rule changes but slight design changes or material changes making it “The best pad to date!” Due to the rapid change of pace in the game of hockey with harder shots and faster skaters, we needed faster, stronger, and more flexible goalies to keep up. I don’t know about everyone else, but I remember one of my first set of pads. I had Koho Revolution’s from 1993; they were red and blue, obviously styled after Patrick Roy’s pads during his time with the Montreal Canadiens. I loved those babies! I actually sold them to a collector, but would I wear them now for competitive play? Hell no! I would more than likely not know what to do in terms of form anymore, not to mention that they weigh as much as all more current equipment combined. “Saint Patrick” in those gorgeous 1993 Koho Revolutions. Credit: Doug MacLellan/HHOF I know I’m certainly happy and more than thankful for the modern goalie pad, how about you? Cover Photo Credit: Randy Friesen-Pixel Photography Check out my previous articles! |
UPDATE: August 4 at 4:48 p.m. Our website is full of your opinions about a Quincy man who got arrested for running a taxi service without a license. Jonathan Schoenakase operates Courtesy Rides in Quincy, and got caught in a police sting over the weekend Here's just one of those comments. Moral Compass wrote, "I have heard of few police acts which are more disgusting and disgraceful than this. A man who saves lives should not be arrested, but celebrated. I am sickened by the fact that the police would need to carry out a "sting operation" against this hero." KHQA took these comments and concerns to the chief of police. Last summer we first introduced you to Jonathan Schonakase and his Courtesy Rides service. He says it's a free service that takes people home if they've had too much to drink. Schoenekase says if someone offers him a tip, he will accept. And that violates the city's taxi/limousine ordinance. Over the weekend, Quincy police officers set up a sting operation to catch Schoenakase in the act of violating that city ordinance. Some of the comments on our website ask if the police department has other things to worry about than nabbing a guy who's keeping drunk drivers off the streets. "We've got a lot of better things to do than this, but it is part of our job. We're not a one-dimensional department. There are a lot of things we can do at the same time," says Police Chief Rob Copley. Chief Copley says part of the job of a police department is enforcing the laws and ordinances that are on the books. He adds this sting didn't take a great deal of time because it was for one specific person. A few months ago, Chief Copley was on the verge of recommending to the city council that Jonathan Schoenakase be given a taxi/limousine license. After getting a few calls, he changed his mind for two reasons. Chief Copley tells KHQA in order to be eligible for a license, a person has to be financially responsible and the chief must find that person to be of good character. "There were fines and restitution he still owed from a 1997 forgery case he was convicted of. We checked into that. It's a matter of public record. It's there. He claimed he forgot about it. To this day, it is still not paid," says Copley. By that, Chief Copley says he doesn't believe Schoenakase is financially responsible. After doing a little more digging, the chief doesn't feel Schoenakase has good character. "I can't give you details because it involves a current case that's pending on a leaving the scene of a traffic crash case," says Copley. Chief Copley has had this same conversation with Schoenakase and his business partners. "I support the service that he was trying to provide. The fact someone would take drunks home so they don't have to drive is a needed service in this community," says Copley. The chief says, however, the operator of such a service has to be within the color of the law. For Jonathan Schoenakase, that means getting the proper license, or stop accepting money for his service. We tried several times to contact Jonathan Schoenakase this afternoon, but we weren't successful. We invite you to weigh in on this situation. Leave your comments about this, or any other story in our comment section. ------------------------------------------ UPDATE: August 4 at 9:18 a.m. KHQA's newsroom is in the process of speaking with Jonathon Schoenakase and a representative from MADD Wednesday afternoon. We will be meeting with someone from the Quincy Police Department again to gain additional details on this case. ------------------------------------------ Story from Monday, August 2nd Police conducted a sting operation that nabbed the operator of Courtesy Rides. Jonathon Schoenakase was arrested Saturday morning around 1:30 after he gave an undercover police officer a ride from a Quincy night club. Police say they have received complaints about Courtesy Rides operations from other licensed taxi operators. Story continues below... _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Schoenakase began his free ride service in January 2008. Schoenakase faces charges from a previous sting operation last February. A change in Quincy's taxi and limousine ordinance last year makes it illegal for Schoenakase to give free rides without proper licensing. |
Scientists have created a new chemical that makes organs and body parts transparent. Researchers from the California Institute of Technology developed a new 'see-through-the-body' method that enables clear autopsy screening by making visible every cellular structure and tissues except bones. Tissue clearing or passive clarity technique (PCT) is a procedure involving the usage of dehydrants and cleansing agents that make body parts almost translucent. This process was conceptualized almost a century ago but was recently tested on the bodies of dead rodents. The experts injected a hydrogel in to the blood vessels and other connecting parts of the brain and spinal cord that released detergents to remove lipid cells from the tissues of the skinned euthanized rodent body samples. The bodies of the mice turned transparent within one week and they became see-through after two weeks of PCT. Conventional post-mortem examination and necropsy requires highly specialized surgical procedure to dissect internal organs and body parts. But, the new technique is far more beneficial and can aid in the detection of diseases, mapping the details of the nervous system and spread of cancer cells in laboratory animals. The authors hope this process will be employed in examining biopsy samples of human patients, reports the Laboratory Equipment. "Our methodology has the potential to accelerate any scientific endeavor that would benefit from whole-organism mapping, including the study of how peripheral nerves and organs can profoundly affect cognition and mental processing, and vice versa," said Viviana Gradinaru, study author and researcher at the California Institute of Technology, reports the Independent. "Our easy-to-use tissue clearing protocols, which employ readily available and cost-effective reagents and equipment, will make the subcellular interrogation of large tissue samples an accessible undertaking within the broader research and clinical communities." More information is available online in the journal Cell. |
EXCLUSIVE: Sean Patrick Flanery has been tapped for a major recurring role on the upcoming eighth season of Showtime‘s hit serial killer drama Dexter. He will play Jacob Elroy, the ex-cop owner of a private investigation company in Miami. Earlier this month, Showtime’s entertainment president David Nevins would not say whether Dexter‘s upcoming eighth season would be its last as had been widely expected before the veteran found creative rejuvenation and hit ratings highs in Season 7. “I think I will clarify before Dexter goes on the air for this next season (in June),” Nevins said. “There’s a clear end game in place.” It is unclear whether the Elroy character would be part of that end game. Flanery, repped by Inphenate and attorney Todd Rubenstein, will next be seen in the features Phantom and Broken Horses. |
Duffel Blog contributing writer Ron Gullekson, whose hilarious fake news stories delighted — and occasionally infuriated — thousands of visitors to the satirical web site, died suddenly Sunday after a short illness. The former Navy cryptologic technician (interpretive) third class, who joined Duffel Blog in 2012, during its infancy, famously created an uproar when he wrote about a fake Defense Department ban on TapouT apparel for all troops. The story resulted in base officials fielding calls from worried or irate service members. Or there's the one about the military's purported use of Microsoft PowerPoint to torture Taliban prisoners. The list goes on and on. "You're doing a good job if you fool a few people," Gullekson told Military Times in a 2012 interview. Much like a patron saint of satire, most of the staff of the military humor site Duffel Blog never met Ron Gullekson. Nevertheless, he left his fingerprints on the web site — and their lives. Now, in the wake of his death Sunday, they're asking the public to help them pay his kindness forward and contribute to a GoFundMe page that a friend started to help ease the financial burden on his family following his illness and untimely that Gullekson's illness and death put on his family. × Fear of missing out? Fear no longer. Be the first to hear about breaking news, as it happens. You'll get alerts delivered directly to your inbox each time something noteworthy happens in the Military community. Thanks for signing up. By giving us your email, you are opting in to our Newsletter: Sign up for the Early Bird Brief The former Navy cryptologic technician (interpretive) third class, language teacher and Duffel Blog contributor died from complications following an unexpected health crisis. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and his son, Zane. The first public announcement came via Duffle Blog Editor-in-Chief Paul Szoldra's Facebook page. The fundraising campaign was initially started to help cover his medical expenses, since he lacked Navy insurance, Paul Szoldra explained. After his passing, though, it was repurposed to also cover funeral costs. Although the campaign is rooted in tragedy, Duffel Blog Editor Brian O'Rourke said it presents an opportunity to tangibly give back to the veteran community. "This is a chance to take [those] … those, I think, very often sincere expressions of thanks and translate them into concrete action for somebody who, you know, should still be making all of us laugh and … serving us at the same time," he said of Gullekson, who was a civilian defense contractor. Mike Wailes, Gullekson's school roommate and Duffel Blog colleague, agreed. "If you can help at all, there was never a more deserving Shipmate than Ron Gullekson," he told Military Times in an email. You can view or donate to tThe GoFundMe page here. The page has already exceeded it's $10,000 goal. The first public announcement came via Duffle Blog Editor-in-Chief Paul Szoldra's Facebook page. Gullekson was one of the first writers to join the Duffel Blog team after its founding in 2012, Editor-in-Chief Paul Szoldra told Military Times. "Ron was my favorite writer, hands down," he said. "I just loved his dry sarcasm." Szoldra said Gullekson, then working as an Army contractor in Stuttgart, Germany, emailed him in 2012 asking for a shot at writing for Duffel Blog. "I have an English degree, but I’m not a d****e about it, and I wrote for my college’s newspaper," wrote Gullekson in the email, which Szoldra provided to Military Times . "I responded right back immediately," Szoldra said. "I just thought he was hilarious." Gullekson produced parody pieces on everything from nerd awards at the Defense Language Institute, which he attended, to the return of scurvy in the Navy, all under the simple moniker "Ron." "The OPSEC was strong with him," quipped Duffel Blog Editor Brian O'Rourke, in reference to his pseudonym. The standards he set helped build the Duffel Blog name and the team that created it. " His stories were some of the things that made me want to be a part of it," O’Rourke said. But his friendship transcended the barriers of the digital workplace, colleagues say, with Facebook becoming a downtime hub where they kept apace with his ups and downs, dedication to his family and adventures in civilian life with equal parts awe, respect and laughter. "When he contributed to a conversation, he added something every time, whether it was a moment of levity when it was needed or a moment of support when that was needed," O'Rourke said. To Ron Gullekson (@LangSurfer): Rest in peace, my friend. Your voice in the blogosphere will be sorely missed. — Kevin Morehouse (@Kevin_Morehouse) March 13, 2016 Josh, a Duffel Blog writer who goes by his first name because he’s still on active-duty, said Gullekson helped guide him through everything from job applications and picking college courses to learning German. Mike Wailes, Gullekson’s school roommate and Duffel Blog colleague, one of the only staff members who knew Gullekson in person, said he carried that compassion and humor into real life, too, calling him "one of the best friends" he ever made. "He was extremely intelligent and had an almost supernatural knack for comedic timing," Wailes said, "So he would listen to your problems, and then give you genuine advice in a way that would crack you up, every time." Despite penning now-iconic stories, building many tech-savvy friendships and creating LanguageSurfer.com, a website dedicated to helping users learn foreign languages , everyone Military Times spoke to said his biggest legacy is that of a father. He leaves behind a wife, Jennifer, and his son, Zane. "I never met him in person, but I could just tell from what he would post, from what other people would say about him, that his little boy was his life," Josh said. "That's what breaks my heart the most about this: that his son is without his father now." While those who knew and loved Gullekson may remember him in different ways, they're united by a single wish: that the fundraiser wasn't necessary to begin with. When Gullekson first fell ill, a friend started a GoFundMe page to ease the financial burden on his family . That has now been repurposed to help cover funeral costs as well as medical costs. The former Navy cryptologic technician (interpretive) third class, language teacher and Duffel Blog contributor died from complications following an unexpected health crisis. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and his son, Zane. The first public announcement came via Duffle Blog Editor-in-Chief Paul Szoldra's Facebook page. The fundraising campaign was initially started to help cover his medical expenses, since he lacked Navy insurance, Paul Szoldra explained. After his passing, though, it was repurposed to also cover funeral costs. O’Rourke said it presents an opportunity for the public to give back something tangible to the veteran community. "This is a chance to take [those] very often sincere expressions of thanks and translate them into concrete action for somebody who, you know, should still be making all of us laugh and … serving us at the same time," he said of Gullekson, who was a civilian defense contractor. Wailes agreed. "If you can help at all, there was never a more deserving Shipmate than Ron Gullekson," he told Military Times in an email. The page has already exceeded it's $10,000 goal, but that's small solace. |
Hey Internet, remember Zach Anner? Remember? NewsFeed knows it seems like a millennium ago, and maybe it is that long Internet time. But for a brief moment, the Internet fell in love with Zach Anner, a hilarious guy with cerebral palsy (“the sexiest of the palsies”) who entered Oprah’s contest to get his own program on her new network, OWN. Anner quickly took the lion’s share of votes, and NewsFeed even wondered if he was the next Oprah. For a refresher, see his audition below. Then, suddenly, we lost contact with Anner. He stopped tweeting in September, and no news surfaced of Oprah’s competition. Until now. Anner has officially been named one of 10 finalists in the network’s “Your OWN Show” competition. He came back to Twitter to make the announcement, noting, “[I’m] so excited, my legs are twittering! Stay tuned… walking could be next!” The competition goes on the air January 7. NewsFeed is rooting for Anner to take the whole thing. Remember, Zach, no Atlantis is too underwater or too fictional. Watch TIME’s exclusive Skype interview with Anner above. |
To live in Vermont is to be smothered by nature’s beauty on a daily basis. Everywhere you look is another peaceful pond, another shimmering lake or emerald hill or misty field graced by a family of grazing deer. It’s almost obnoxious, like that one friend you have who’s so pretty, funny, smart and talented that you want to hate her stupid gorgeous face. Immersed as we are in these exquisite pastoral gifts, Vermonters tend to forget that Mother Nature might be lovely, but moral she is not. She doesn’t love us or want what’s best for us. With one hand she giveth, and with the other she puncheth in the gut. I know this only too well, because as well as the verdant wonderland that is Vermont, nature personally bestowed on me another of her special gifts: systemic lupus. Contrary to what the name suggests, lupus is not some totally rad werewolf disease. No, it’s actually kind of a drag, where your immune system constantly attacks your own body. Think of antibodies that dress up like teeny little Avon ladies to smooth-talk their way into your joints before upturning all the furniture and leaving an arthritic mess behind. Imagine white blood cells that create fake online dating profiles to lure innocent blood vessels, or lurk behind the heavy parlour drapes to leap out and ambush your kidneys. The result is a mess of pain, inflammation, fevers, fatigue and a never-ending litany of nasty surprises. My body is a haunted house and lupus is its poltergeist. Its all-natural poltergeist. That’s why I just don’t buy the idea that ‘natural is best’. Your organic, gluten-free, sprouted ancient-grain bread is all-natural? That’s nice. My disease is all-natural too. My chronic pain, pleurisy and angry kidneys are all-natural, and my death would’ve been too, if I didn’t have access to the decidedly unnatural medications that allow me to lead a somewhat normal, comfortable life. A few years ago, in a typical Vermont exchange, a chain smoker paused between drags to scold me for drinking a Diet Coke – or as she referred to it, ‘that poison’. I had the temerity to point out that she was smoking a cigarette. ‘They’re natural,’ she replied smugly, drawing my attention to the colourful bubble on the packaging that proclaimed her smokes were made with ‘100% Certified Organic Tobacco!’. Now, I’m aware that Diet Coke is not exactly a health tonic, but blithely calling it poison in a voice cracked with the tar of innumerable organic butts speaks to a certain cognitive bias. The soda was bad purely because it wasn’t natural, and the cigarettes were good purely because they were. I refrained from asking her if she enjoyed lots of other natural things, such as cobra bites, poison ivy, malaria, and diving headlong into 100 per cent organic molten lava. It turns out that a certain counter-rationalist mindset isn’t just a condition afflicting Right-wing reactionaries. This fetish for all things au naturel reached a particularly feverish peak in these parts recently, when Vermonters banded together to implement a mandatory labelling law for GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) in 2014. It was like watching villagers festoon their homes with garlic and crucifixes to ward off vampires. The anti-GMO rhetoric had lulled for a time following passage of the bill, but began to intensify again last year in the months leading up to the labelling deadline. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that GMOs are safe for human consumption, more than three-quarters of Vermonters supported the law, which stated that all food manufacturers had to slap a chunk of text on their packaging if their product contained any ingredients that were produced through genetic engineering. Not the Ye Olde Geneticke Engineereing that humans have practised for millennia, mind you, such as the selective breeding, crossbreeding and hybridisation of plants and animals. Rather, like all opponents of ‘Frankenfoods’, the supporters of the bill clearly differentiated between these timeworn agricultural methods and the modern form of genetic engineering that involves scientists isolating and manipulating individual genes to promote desired traits. If companies refused to comply with demands to label their GMOs, their Chewy Pork-Os and Mini Cheese Conundrums would no longer be sold on our pure, artisanal shelves. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not against continued research on GMOs. It’s vital to think about their impact on biodiversity and on the Earth’s delicate ecosystems. But these consequences are bad because they’re bad, not because GMOs themselves are unnatural. Being ‘anti-GMO’, period, is as good as being ‘anti-science’. As a lifelong horror-movie fan, I can admit that there is something classically terrifying about the idea of giant corporations manipulating genes. We all know what happens when EvilCorp sets up a secret lab on a remote island (experiments with weaponised shark-human hybrid cyborgs, obviously). DNA shouldn’t be tampered with, we say to ourselves. It’s intimate, fundamental – ‘us’; our purest essence laid bare, a potent link to our families and ancestors. It doesn’t take much for us to mentally spool back in time, through gauzy montages of kooky historical costume changes, until we arrive at some untarnished, primordial Eve, squatting happily in front of her cook-fire, preparing some kale-and-wholegrain crêpes. Her rhythms are the rhythms of nature. She is at one with the natural world, not above or apart from it, and we are all connected to her across time, space and evolutionary leaps through this bio-mystical thread of the double-helix. But wait; is that a rustling in the shrubberies behind her? Oh no, Eve, look out! It’s not a big cat or Eegah the Ripper; it’s so much worse. A pasty, bespectacled man in a white lab coat! With Big Ag embroidered on his breast pocket, and a huge stainless-steel syringe, glinting menacingly in the sun! Unaware of the danger, Eve nibbles on some açaí berries and assorted paleo-diet superfoods brought to her by obliging animal friends. The man squints down at his Ayn Rand day-planner where there are only two items in his to-do list: 1. MURDER NATURE 2. $$$ PROFIT $$$ The man plunges his syringe into a nearby quinoa loaf that Eve prepared earlier, and waits while globules of glowing green liquid penetrate deep into the bread. The artificial code slices, strangles and scrambles the hearty DNA of the untainted baked good until all that’s left is a clammy, greyish Frankenloaf. It’s ready. He scampers back into the bushes and waits for Eve to notice what he left behind. We blame every ailment on scary ‘new’ technologies, forgetting the mortality we left behind Soon enough, Eve is examining the bread, turning it in her long, calloused fingers. Her inner goddess whispers that something is not right. But it is so like ‘real’ food! Curiosity overcomes her and she takes that first bite and, as she does so, her DNA unravels, then tangles and sproings up like when you run a scissor blade over a Christmas ribbon to make it super sproingy. Her animal friends run away; they no longer recognise her as one of them. She looks no different yet she is changed deep inside. Her cycles no longer sync with the Moon, Gaia will not return her calls, and she’s pretty sure she has a peanut allergy. Okay, so some more minor version of this drama is playing out subconsciously in the minds of people who refuse to believe in GMO safety. But was nature as great as their idealised Earth Mother fantasies suggest? We tend to romanticise the past and blame every ailment on this crazy, modern lifestyle and scary ‘new’ technologies, forgetting the mortality and brutality we’ve left behind. If Eve was a real person living in the palaeolithic era, her life expectancy would have been only about 30 years, max. As she approached this ripe old age, she would likely have been prone to many of the same ailments that people today don’t typically start to suffer from until their 60s. She would have been fortunate to live that long, considering they obviously didn’t benefit from miraculous modern medical advances such as antibiotics, cancer treatments, obstetrics, surgery and Bioré pore strips. And yes, the abundance of nutritious food that we enjoy today is thanks, in part, to GM technologies. You know what makes my lupus feel better? When I can afford healthy food, all year round. Week after week, as the labelling deadline approached, I’d marvel at the hundreds of scientifically unfounded anti-GMO lies that would be repeated in the comment sections of newspapers and other media outlets. As if Satan himself were coming to murder us right in the mouth with nightmarish, demon hybrid foods, and this law was the only thing that could keep him at bay. Some of the claims came from the Vermont Right to Know GMOs website, which was the official hub of the bill’s news and activism activity. It contained a number of untrue or misleading claims including: ‘important and unanswered questions about the healthfulness and safety of GE foods’ ‘Independent studies continue to show that genetic engineering of food crops can lead to the production of toxins, allergens and other substances that may pose health-related risks’ ‘The US Food and Drug Administration … leave the determination of these foods’ safety to the biotech companies that produce them’ I’d be frightened too, if this were my primary source of information. The allegation that biotech firms alone are responsible for safety-testing would be especially alarming – they must test the GMOs on the same island where they make the deadly sharkmen! Thankfully, it’s not true (at least as regards the GMOs). Yes, there’s plenty of research bankrolled by the likes of the agricultural EvilCorp that is Monsanto or other GM technology firms such as Syngenta, Bayer or DuPont. But there are also multiple independent studies performed on patented GMOs all over the world. So it’s not some kind of science-y petri-dish, Wild West situation; GM seeds have been tested at every stage of development and release for 30 years. It was actually people like me who ruined his natural cider with our dumb ill health The GMO labelling bill H.112 came into force in Vermont on 1 July 2016. Three weeks later, on 29 July 2016, the then president Barack Obama signed into federal law bill S.764, which required food manufacturers to label foods containing GMOs, but gave them numerous options to do so other than via the block of text that Vermont required. Scannable bar codes, QR codes, and 1-800 numbers are among the options. This federal law obviously superseded Vermont’s law, rendering it a very expensive few weeks for Vermont’s food producers. The state spent nearly $2 million defending the law, and Vermont retailers shelled out almost $5 million in their scramble to comply with it. Many of those stores are small mom-and-pop operations already struggling to compete with large chain retailers. My boyfriend and I used to buy a share of a farmer’s harvest at the beginning of the season, from a local organic farm. We didn’t care so much about the organic part, we were just happy to support local agriculture. One afternoon, they had some cider for sale in addition to our usual weekly pick-up. It looked inviting, so I asked if it was pasteurised. ‘Yeah,’ the farmer grumbled, ‘I guess the FDA forces everyone to pasteurise it because someone claimed their kid got sick or something.’ As it happens, my lupus medications severely suppress my immune system, so I’m as high-risk for food poisoning as that pesky sick kid. For me and others like me, food poisoning can be deadly, and there have been plenty of outbreaks of E.coli associated with unpasteurised cider. But the farmer blamed the big evil US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for imposing this unnatural process on the natural cider. It made me sad and angry, but I didn’t bother to explain that it was actually people like me who ruined his cider with our dumb ill health, or that I was grateful to the FDA for looking out for me. Nature can seem as inspiring, beautiful, strong and nurturing as a mother, but it would be foolish to believe that this ‘mother’ loves us. There’s no reason we can’t celebrate her glorious natural gifts while also appreciating the important ‘unnatural’ improvements our fellow humans have created. I wouldn’t – and couldn’t – have it any other way. Would you? |
Shares VMturbo 5.6 released recently brings further options to Cisco UCS, integrates Private cloud control module, Adds more visibility into CloudStack or extends control for any generic Java VMs. The previous release of VMturbo (v5.5) did extend its capabilities to VMware VRA, IBM PowerVM and Public Cross-platform Migration. VMturbo product consists of the main product which is extensible through different control modules like Application, Network, Container, Storage, Fabric or Hybrid control modules. For example, the storage control module gives Operations Manager visibility into the storage pools/aggregates and disk arrays in the SAN. It then identifies, remedies, and maintains performance across all storage contention points. We’ll get through the options in detail, but you may look first at What’s new in VMturbo 5.6? New Integration Private Cloud Control: Turn-key Integration with ServiceNow Real-time placement decisions for your ServiceNow environment and workload provisioning enable you to guarantee application performance and accelerate your private cloud initiatives Extended Control for any generic Java Virtual Machine Assure generic JVM application performance throughout your business, by gaining application level visibility to any generic Java application like Apache Storm, Jetty, Tomcat UCS Improved Performance Enhanced fabric market abstraction leads to improved system performance and reduced fabric utilization. Enabling enhanced management of your port throughput and blade usage Deeper visibility into CloudStack Reach your desired system state faster, by managing your CloudStack environment with improved data consistency and compliance control Customized Storage & Host Profiles More accurate plan results with your individual storage and host profiles; create, modify and share your custom profiles and in the Green Circle community VMturbo integrates Cisco UCS which has many components (management GUI, Fabric interconnect [switch], IOModule, Blade chassis, Individual blade). The definition of Green datacenter mean that the footprint gets reduced by utilizing more the existing hardware. New actions based on port channel utilization allows Resize up port channel (Add a new port) or Resize down port channel (remove port). Those are recommended actions. Assure Java Virtual Machine Performance – Gives you more visibility into metrics like heap utilization within your Java applications. These metrics are the basis for automatable decisions that will increase your environment’s utilization and application performance. Note: Virtual Health Monitor from VMturbo – Multi-Hypervisor, can span multiple data centers or hosts. There is no number of hosts limitations or VMs limitation. The Virtual Health Monitor is Free Download and use product. Packaged as single Virtual Appliance. Completely agent-less solution. It uses the “same engine” as the full product VMturbo Operations Manager, When you download the product, it automatically downloads the full 30 days trial where you can test all the features. Source: VMturbo Shares |
Something has changed in Scotland in the last few days. It has been a long time coming and building, but you can feel it in the air, in the streets, and in the looks of strangers acknowledging each other. Scots are growing aware that they have a collective power and confidence which Westminster fears. The British political elite and establishment have now woken up to the prospect that all this is real. For the past three years, from the SNP winning in 2011 to the Edinburgh Agreement of October 2012 between the Scottish and UK governments, the latter viewed Scotland as a non-event, a problem contained and controlled. The “referendum” they continually referred to was not Scotland 2014, but the still-hypothetical vote on Europe in 2017. Suddenly, Cameron, Miliband and Clegg have realised that Scottish independence is possible. They don’t like it, obviously, but they don’t understand it either, nor have they been paying attention. Cameron has played a famously low key role in the campaign, sneaking in and out of Scotland speaking to the few audiences where he can be guaranteed a friendly response. He refused to debate with Salmond, which now looks a disastrous decision, but was a realistic recognition of the “toxic tartan Tory” brand. Ed Miliband has played a worse hand. He and his invisible shadow cabinet have hardly put any effort into saving what is meant to be a Labour heartland. Miliband has not until recently received regular briefings on Scotland. His approach has only been excelled in ineptitude by the Scottish Labour Party, which still hasn’t adapted its defeat in 2007 – the seachange of Scottish politics. It is still stuck in its pathological detesting of the SNP and Alex Salmond, which has clouded its judgement for years. Now Cameron, Miliband and Clegg are travelling north to save the union. They are making their way to Scotland separately like a bunch of furtive characters ashamed of what they are up to, or afraid of being apprehended. If there were a criminal offence for being an incompetent politician all three would be charged and put up in Barlinnie Prison. Once they have arrived north of the border, they dare not even contemplate sharing a platform. This goes beyond dislike of Tories. Rather embarrassingly for Labour, Cameron and Miliband have the exact same levels of trust in Scotland: 23 per cent. The supposed saviour of the hour, Gordon Brown, is on 32 per cent (the same as Alistair Darling). First Minister Alex Salmond has a 42 per cent rating after seven years in office and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, 44 per cent. There is an increasing problem with nationalism. British nationalism. It seems obsessed with an imagined past, a continual parade of military anniversaries, hyperbolic rhetoric (“greatest union in the history of the human race”), symbols and flags. They have become vexo nats, to coin a phrase from vexology, the study of flags. How appropriate that as the UK’s fate hangs in the balance, Cameron decides to fly the saltire from Downing Street, and Miliband joins him inviting Labour councils up and down the land to do the same. Who knew it? Never mind the bedroom tax, foodbanks, or the grotesque self-interest of the City, Cameron and company understand and “love” Scotland, and don’t want us to leave. They plan to show it by lots of flag-waving. One opinion poll with a Yes lead has produced wholesale panic and sudden announcements of new plans and goodies. This, when people have already started voting. When the debate isn’t just about the constitution. When it isn’t just about Scotland, but the problem with the capture of British politics and the state by corporate class groupthink. And when the Scottish debate reflects genuine discussion about how much room for maneouvre and choice it is possible to have in the face of market fundamentalism and globalisation. Scottish public opinion trusts the Scottish government more than Westminster to defend the social compact. All of this runs much deeper than what Scots think of Cameron and toxic Tories. Last minute pro-union suggestions of giving more powers to Scotland fail to understand, as constitutional expert Peter Hennessy observed, that there are British consequences from such proposals. Greater Scottish self-government in an asymmetrical union eventually affects the intricate balance of the entire state. With the Scotland Acts of 1998 and 2012 on the statute book, that point has now been reached, once more raising the prospect of the West Lothian question and the voting rights of Scottish MPs at Westminster. Whatever the result on 18 September a different Scotland has emerged and found expression. The “idea” of independence has dominated and defined the campaign. Even lots of No voters talk fondly of the notion saying, “I would like to believe we could do it, but. . .” That is a generational change. Scotland has an independence of the mind. It is on the verge of formal independence. That then brings forth all sorts of fascinating questions. Can the hopes and energies released by pro-independence forces continue post-Yes? What of the SNP’s rather timid, cautious version of independence with its economic straightjacket connected to the Bank of England and Treasury? How will Westminster react to its biggest peacetime crisis if a Yes happens? Will they understand that Scottish voters have rejected their discredited economic, social and political system? Last weekend, with Roanne Dods, I organised Imagination – Scotland’s first ever Festival of Ideas on Glasgow’s Southside. It was firmly non-aligned and non-partisan on the independence question, but embodied a living, real culture of self-determination. Over a thousand people were present at the weekend. With an atmosphere of curiosity, energy and generosity, constitutional lawyer and adviser to both the Scottish and British Tories Adam Tomkins talked openly of the fundamental failings of No. They heard Will Hutton hesitate and admit that if he lived in Scotland “he would be sorely tempted to vote Yes”. Thoughtful discussions took place on the challenges facing Scotland both post-independence and as part of the union. Former Salmond adviser Alex Bell warned of the dangers of Scotland being governed post-independence by “the same Marks and Spencers suits”, Robin McAlpine eulogised the virtues of Common Weal, and filmmaker Eleanor Yule spoke of the role of gatekeepers in limiting cultural self-confidence. The closing discussion took place in the beautiful, dilapidated Govanhill Swimming Pool, scene of a famous Glasgow battle between the council and local people, which saw the pool shut and then given back to the community after a decade. Janice Galloway moved people with her heartfelt and deeply personal “Journey to Yes”, while Billy Bragg and Fintan OToole wished the independence cause well. Bragg played two numbers, the first of which, “Take Down the Union Jack” brought the house down. He then observed, looking at England and Scotland: “We don’t have agency. You do. Don’t let us down.” O’Toole commented that “Scotland has already won by the common assertion of dignity. The question is can you be good winners?” It all felt like a mature, reflective democracy calmly discussing its future choices. Scotland has grown up these last few years. That is a change which is about more than whether the people vote for independence. The same cannot not be said of Westminster, which is increasingly broken and represents a discredited, narrow, nasty political culture. No wonder more and more Scots think that we can make a better fist of it governing ourselves. Maybe, just maybe, the immense changes and upheaval about to take place could see a progressive-minded country and culture governing itself with compassion and decency on this island of Britain. It might just give hope to the people of the rUK to summon up the energy and force to challenge the entrenched forces and assumptions which have dominated Westminster and British politics and society for the last three decades. It is time to break free, not in some nationalist sense, but from the vested interests and orthodoxies which have so dominated British society and public life for so long. |
CLOSE The Wisconsin State Board of Elections has decided to move forward with a recount effort pushed by 2016 Green Party candidate Jill Stein. As deadlines loom in Pennsylvania and Michigan, Stein continued her push for battleground recounts on Monday. Time Jill Stein (Photo11: D. Ross Cameron, AP) Green Party candidate Jill Stein continued her quest Monday for a recount of the presidential election results in the three key states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, but was thwarted Monday by the Wisconsin Elections Commission, which rejected her request to require a count by hand. Stein quickly responded that she would sue and also filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania to force a recount there. Her supporters began filing recount requests at the precinct level in the Keystone State, where initial results showed Republican Donald Trump ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton by 70,638 votes. Stein — who received just a tiny piece of the vote in Michigan — plans to ask for a recount there on Wednesday, according to Mark Brewer, former chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party and lawyer for Stein. Michigan's Board of Canvassers certified its election results Monday afternoon, showing Trump won the presidential race by a 10,704-vote margin over Clinton. The certification made the election results official, but it also started the 48-hour clock for Stein to seek a recount. Stein, who has raised more than $6.3 million online to pay for recounts, says she’s not requesting the recounts because she thinks they will change the outcome of the presidential race. Instead, she said in a video on her Facebook page, that she picked the three states where the vote was the closest to ensure the integrity of the election. The Clinton campaign announced Saturday that it will participate in the Wisconsin recount to ensure fairness. Trump called the effort a "scam" aimed at filling the Green Party's "coffers." The Green Party scam to fill up their coffers by asking for impossible recounts is now being joined by the badly defeated & demoralized Dems — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016 The states must complete their recounts by a Dec. 13 deadline set by the federal government. The big deadline is Dec. 19 when all of the states' electors must meet to cast their Electoral College votes. States that miss those deadlines risk not having their electoral votes counted. In Michigan, Trump would have the right to object to a recount, with the State Canvassers deciding the issue, an election official said Monday. Chris Thomas, director of the Bureau of Elections, said he doesn't think Trump could argue there should be no recount at all, provided Stein pays the required fee and raises the prospect of a mistaken count or fraud. Instead, Instead, Trump could argue about what form the recount should take, Thomas said. Attorneys representing Trump said Monday they favor a machine recount, which they said would be more efficient than a hand recount, which Stein is expected to request. And though dates for objections and hearings could push the start of any recount well into December, Thomas said election officials are planning to start a recount this Friday and work through the weekend, dealing with any objections as they come in. Unless Stein wins her lawsuit in Dane County Circuit Court, officials in each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties would decide on their own whether to do their recounts by hand. That could mean some counties perform recounts by machine and some by hand. Wisconsin voters participating in early voting in the fall elections. (Photo11: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Citing the results of a 2011 statewide recount that changed only 300 votes, Elections Commission chairman Mark Thomsen, a Democrat, said this presidential recount is unlikely to change Trump's win in the state. "It may not be 22,177," said Thomsen, referring to Trump's lead over Clinton in the vote count. "But I don’t doubt that the president-elect is going to win that." Serious voter fraud in Virginia, New Hampshire and California - so why isn't the media reporting on this? Serious bias - big problem! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2016 Meanwhile, Trump alleged in a tweet that there was “serious voter fraud” in Virginia, New Hampshire and California and blamed the media for not reporting on it. No evidence of fraud was given, and Tom Rath, former New Hampshire attorney general, fired back via tweet that "there was no fraud, serious or other in this election in NH. There just wasn't." This will probably cost me my spot in the Cabinet but there was no fraud, serious or other, in this election in NH. There just wasn't. — Tom Rath (@polguru) November 28, 2016 Thomsen dismissed Stein's claims of problems with the Wisconsin vote as unfounded and misleading. But he directed his toughest criticism to Trump's unsupported allegations, leveled on Twitter, that millions of people voted illegally nationwide, calling them "an insult to the people that run our elections." Contributing: Paul Egan and Kathleen Gray, Detroit Free Press, and Will Cummings, USA TODAY. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2gcSdie |
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has announced that President Donald Trump is donating $1million of his own money to victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas. 'He'll pledge, proudly, $1 million of his own personal money to help the people of Texas and Louisiana,' spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters. The White House did not say whether the money would come from Trump or his foundation. The news comes a day after Sanders said in a press conference that she was unsure of the amount that Trump and the First Lady were willing to donate from their personal funds. Following the announcement, Trump tweeted a photo of those who first responded and who were gathered in a multi-faith prayer circle. Scroll down for video Following the announcement that he and his wife would donate $1 million to Hurricane Harvey relief, Trump tweeted a photo of those who first responded and who were gathered in a prayer circle. A man is seen praying on his knees in the middle 'Thank you to all of the brave first responders and volunteers from around the United States helping with the ongoing rescue and relief efforts in Texas,' President Trump said in a tweet 'Thank you to all of the brave first responders and volunteers from around the United States helping with the ongoing rescue and relief efforts in Texas,' President Trump said in the Tweet. One man appeared to be worshiping on his knees in the middle of the circle. It also comes two days after Trump spoke at the Texas Department of Public Safety and stated that the flood waters in southern Texas, which has seen record-breaking rainfall, might never recede. Sanders accompanied President Trump to Texas on Tuesday as he met with disaster recovery officials. 'Nobody's ever seen this much water. The wind was pretty horrific, in particular, but the water has never been seen like this, to this extent. And it's, maybe someday going to disappear. We keep waiting,' Trump said this afternoon in Austin. It also comes two days after Trump spoke at the Texas Department of Public Safety and stated that the flood waters in southern Texas, which has seen record-breaking rainfall, might never recede. During the 2016 presidential campaign Trump came under fire for repeatedly announcing charitable donations but not following through. Sanders said Trump wanted suggestions from the White House press corps about how to spend the money. Since the crisis began last Friday, Trump has seized on his role marshaling the federal response, issuing a disaster declaration for Texas and neighboring Louisiana and deploying 8,000 officials throughout the flood zone. During a busy weekend, the White House released photos of the president - wearing a USA cap - huddling with aides, liaising with cabinet secretaries to discuss what he called a 'once in 500 year flood'. Sanders announced that Trump has tentative plans to visit 'the Houston area' on Saturday as well as Lake Charles, Louisiana. During a visit to Texas on Tuesday Trump had been unable to visit the flood zone because of difficult logistics and security concerns. Trump's remarks Monday on Hurricane Harvey were his first, aside from a string of tweets he sent over the weekend. His split in focus between federal disaster relief for Texas and a host of other issues he delved into last weekend on Twitter came under scrutiny, but a senior U.S. official argued Monday morning that the president has the ability to multitask. 'The president is very, very engaged. He knows exactly what's going on,' said Rick Perry, the energy secretary and the longest-serving governor in Texas' history. Trump isn't the first celeb to donate as many have rallied to aid in the relief efforts for those effected by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and along the coast. |
Indianapolis became the first U.S. city to pass a Homeless Bill of Rights measure this week — the latest success for a national campaign to end criminalization of the homeless. Indianapolis' proposal, passed on Monday and awaiting a signature from the mayor, would protect the rights of homeless people to move freely in public spaces, to receive equal treatment from city agencies, to obtain emergency medical care, to vote and to maintain privacy for personal property, Indy Star, a local newspaper, reported. The bill would also require the city to give a homeless person 15 days notice before requiring them to leave a camp, the newspaper said. Authorities would be required to store any displaced person’s property for 60 days as well as refer them to nonprofit organizations that could provide services and transitional housing. "It is much more cost-effective to provide support services and assistance to those experiencing homelessness in our city than to arrest them," Indianapolis councilman LeRoy Robinson said. "Sadly, our city had chosen the latter." Robinson is the sponsor of the legislation in the city council. Activists are pushing for similar protections in other cities, including Washington, D.C.; Madison, Wisconsin; and Duluth, Minnesota. The laws would guarantee the rights of the homeless to carry out basic human functions such as sitting, standing, eating and sleeping in public areas. Duluth's city council has passed a measure identifying the need for such a bill, and advocates are working on a bill in for the city of Madison, according to Michael Stoops, director of community organization for the National Coalition for the Homeless. Legislation to add homelessness to Washington, D.C.’s anti-discrimination law may be introduced this spring, Stoops added. The campaign comes amid a rise in the nationwide homeless population, and in laws targeting them, since the 2008 recession. Advocates say these laws are aimed at removing those deemed undesirable from public spaces, and that they subject homeless people to police harassment or arrest for carrying out activities that everyone must do — but only some have to do in public areas. The number of laws used to target the homeless increased sharply in the 1980s. One recent study in California found that these municipal laws rose along with the homeless population — there was a spike in the 1980s when federal funding for affordable housing was slashed and again after the 2008 recession. Criminalization, advocates say, can make it more difficult to reduce homelessness. A criminal record can make it more difficult to find employment and housing, and aggressive policing pushes the homeless out of city centers, farther from the services intended to help them. That’s why homeless rights groups are pushing to protect the rights of the homeless at the local, state and, perhaps, the national level. "A federal homeless bill of rights would be the ultimate goal, but I can tell you I've not come across any member of Congress who have wanted to do that," Stoops said. "That's why we don't have a federal bill — we have a city by city and state by state strategy." In Indiana, activists chose to focus on a changing Indianapolis's law because the city council was more progressive and amenable to such a bill than the state's legislature, he added. The city council passed a measure modeled on similar state laws already in place in Rhode Island, Illinois and Connecticut. Those laws, however, do not go as far as the ones introduced this year in California, Colorado and Oregon. The “Right to Rest Act” would end the criminalization of eating, resting or sleeping in public for everyone. The laws in Rhode Island, Illinois and Connecticut stipulate only that everyone must be equally criminalized for such actions. Washington state is considering introducing a similarly strong legislation, Stoops added, and has been working with the coalition of groups led by the Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP) that successfully campaigned for the Right to Rest Act. |
Home Daily News Watch the video: Road-rage fistfight near… Criminal Justice Watch the video: Road-rage fistfight near freeway exit; attorney is charged A bizarre video showing two men in suit trousers, white shirts and neckties duking it out near a Los Angeles freeway exit Monday morning is now apparent evidence in a battery case brought against attorney Randalf Kincaid over the incident. “You don’t normally see two older guys in ties having a street fight,” witness Jessica Breuer, who took footage of the fight on her cellphone camera, from her car, told KABC. Kincaid, who has an unblemished disciplinary record during his 26 years as a California lawyer, was the instigator, Breuer said, getting out of his Volkswagen Beetle and socking the driver of a BMW. That driver, who is not identified in the article, told the station he didn’t know what had set Kincaid off, but said his opponent kept repeating: “You could have killed me.” KTLA said the other man, who was not arrested, was a retired Los Angeles police officer. He reportedly took Kincaid to the ground and held him, with the help of some others in the vicinity, in a citizen’s arrest until police got to the scene. Kincaid did not respond to KABC’s request for comment. Hat tip: Daily Mail and PoliceOne.com |
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