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A fixture on the Daily Show during election season has become Jon Stewart watching CNN for the latest news, apparently only to make fun of whatever new gizmos, gadgets, and exasperated Anderson Cooper expressions may prevail. Last night, it was CNN’s “Virtual Convention,” a sort of simulation of little people holding up signs for their candidates. RELATED: Virtual Inanity: CNN’s Latest Election Night Gimmick Is The ‘Virtual Convention’ Stewart opened his segment with the hope that Super Tuesday would be the night to end all nights, as this race has been something of a challenge. “The Republican nominee for President is being elected by erosion,” Stewart joked, noting that the media had, at this point, “run out of metaphors” (Howard Dean was the example of this by comparing the election to an omelet). If Ohio was the decisive state, watching Romney win the state would mean it was all smooth sailing to the general election for him, but long after bringing out the pipe and brandy, Stewart was hit with the harsh reality that “this enormous balloon inflated before our eyes turns into a whoopie cushion,” that the media narrative is that this race is far from over. He then turned to CNN, where Anderson Cooper seemed, to Stewart, to be making a break for it while Wolf Blitzer‘s levels of enthusiasm were so high Stewart wondered if “they keep him in the dark about things so that his on-screen emotions seem like they’re really happening.” But before he spent too much time mocking Blitzer, he found the “virtual convention,” where little holographic people held up colored signs for their candidates to simulate the Republican convention. “Mitt Romney is very popular with these artificially rendered computer people, I think we found this base!” Stewart joked, as the Super Tuesday votes made him the most regaled among the computer folks. The convention was not all peaceful, however, when Stewart’s World of Warcraft characters came crashing through the convention. The segment via Comedy Central below: Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com |
A manhunt is under way in Indonesia's Sumatra island after scores of prisoners escaped from an overcrowded jail. Hundreds of police and soldiers were deployed near Sialang Bungkuk Prison in Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau province, and were blockading roads to the capital and other provinces, according to Wayan Dusak, a justice and human rights ministry official. Officials said the escape occurred when prisoners tore down a gate near a mosque in the prison complex, overwhelming the six guards on duty after being allowed out of their cells to take part in Friday prayers. Local police spokesman Colonel Guntur Aryo Tejo estimated the number of prisoners who escaped at 200 to 250, of whom 130 had been recaptured. Some surrendered while others were captured by police or residents, Tejo said. He added that some were reportedly beaten by residents who found them trying to steal their motorbikes. MetroTV showed dozens of men running from the prison and some being captured by police. The prison, which has a capacity of 361, is holding more than 1,870 people, Tejo said. "It seemed that many of the inmates alleged that there was discrimination in treatment of those accused of general crimes compared to special ones," Tejo said, referring to officials and others accused of corruption who allegedly received better treatment. Inmates had complained about their treatment in the jail and accused some guards of being violent, said Ferdinand Siagian, head of the regional office of the law ministry. The issue of overcapacity in most prisons in Indonesia has reached a chronic level, resulting in poor service and frequent riots. In March 2016, riots among prisoners in Bengkulu Prison left five inmates dead and the prison building on fire. |
Photo: sadlerforsenate.com Image 1 of / 44 Caption Close Image 2 of 44 Democrat Paul Sadler with his wife Sherri and dog murphy Democrat Paul Sadler with his wife Sherri and dog murphy Photo: sadlerforsenate.com Image 3 of 44 Paul Sadler with Rosa Walker Paul Sadler with Rosa Walker Photo: sadlerforsenate.com Image 4 of 44 talking with judge Hinojosa about the future of the democratic party in Texas talking with judge Hinojosa about the future of the democratic party in Texas Photo: sadlerforsenate.com Image 5 of 44 Image 6 of 44 Sadler with Wendy Davis Sadler with Wendy Davis Photo: sadlerforsenate.com Image 7 of 44 U.S. Senate Candidate Paul Sadler speaks during the the 2012 Texas Democratic Party State Convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center Friday, June 8, 2012, in Houston. ( James Nielsen / Chronicle ) U.S. Senate Candidate Paul Sadler speaks during the the 2012 Texas Democratic Party State Convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center Friday, June 8, 2012, in Houston. ( James Nielsen / Chronicle ) Photo: James Nielsen / Chronicle Image 8 of 44 ** CORRECTS PARTY AFFILIATIONS ** State Senate Democratic candidate Paul Sadler speaks during a candidate forum in Tyler, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004. Sadler and Republican Kevin Eltife are vying for the District 1 seat. (AP Photo/Tyler Morning Telegraph, D.J. Peters). HOUCHRON CAPTION (02/15/2004): Democrat Paul Sadler, (SHOWN), and Republican Kevin Eltife are running in a special election to fill Bill Ratliff's District 1 seat. less ** CORRECTS PARTY AFFILIATIONS ** State Senate Democratic candidate Paul Sadler speaks during a candidate forum in Tyler, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004. Sadler and Republican Kevin Eltife are vying for the ... more Photo: D.J. PETERS / AP Image 9 of 44 U.S. Senate candidate Paul Sadler (D) holds 10-month-old Pablo Hinojosa-Donisi, son of Austin ISD school board candidate Gina Hinojosa, during a fish fry at the American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations in Austin, TX on Fri., Aug. 31, 2012. Ashley Landis for the Houston Chronicle less U.S. Senate candidate Paul Sadler (D) holds 10-month-old Pablo Hinojosa-Donisi, son of Austin ISD school board candidate Gina Hinojosa, during a fish fry at the American Federation of Labor - Congress of ... more Photo: Ashley Landis / copyright 2012 Ashley Landis Image 10 of 44 Image 11 of 44 U.S. Senate candidate Paul Sadler (D) speaks to supporters during a fish fry at the American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations in Austin, TX on Fri., Aug. 31, 2012. Ashley Landis for the Houston Chronicle less U.S. Senate candidate Paul Sadler (D) speaks to supporters during a fish fry at the American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations in Austin, TX on Fri., Aug. 31, 2012. Ashley Landis for ... more Photo: Ashley Landis / copyright 2012 Ashley Landis Image 12 of 44 TAMPA, FL - AUGUST 28: Senate Republican Candidate, Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 28, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Today is the first full session of the RNC after the start was delayed due to Tropical Storm Isaac. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) less TAMPA, FL - AUGUST 28: Senate Republican Candidate, Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 28, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Today ... more Photo: Spencer Platt / Getty Images Image 13 of 44 TAMPA, FL - AUGUST 28: Senate Republican Candidate, Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 28, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Today is the first full session of the RNC after the start was delayed due to Tropical Storm Isaac. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) less TAMPA, FL - AUGUST 28: Senate Republican Candidate, Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 28, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Today ... more Photo: Spencer Platt / Getty Images Image 14 of 44 Ted Cruz, U.S. Senate candidate from Texas speaks at the second day of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, Tuesday, August 28, 2012. (Lionel Hahn/Abaca Press/MCT) Ted Cruz, U.S. Senate candidate from Texas speaks at the second day of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, Tuesday, August 28, 2012. (Lionel Hahn/Abaca Press/MCT) Photo: Lionel Hahn / McClatchy-Tribune News Service Image 15 of 44 Image 16 of 44 U.S. Senate Candidate Ted Cruz speaks during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. U.S. Senate Candidate Ted Cruz speaks during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. Photo: LM Otero / AP Image 17 of 44 U.S. Senate Candidate Ted Cruz speaks during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. U.S. Senate Candidate Ted Cruz speaks during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. Photo: LM Otero / AP Image 18 of 44 U.S. Senate Candidate Ted Cruz, left, and his wife Heidi Cruz wave as they take the stage for a speech during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. U.S. Senate Candidate Ted Cruz, left, and his wife Heidi Cruz wave as they take the stage for a speech during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. Photo: LM Otero / AP Image 19 of 44 U.S. Senate Candidate Ted Cruz, left, and his wife Heidi Cruz wave after his speech during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. Cruz and David Dewhurst are locked in a fierce fight for the Republican nomination to fill Texas' open U.S. Senate seat. (AP Photo/LM Otero) less U.S. Senate Candidate Ted Cruz, left, and his wife Heidi Cruz wave after his speech during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. Cruz and David Dewhurst are locked in ... more Photo: AP Image 20 of 44 Image 21 of 44 U.S. Senate Candidate Ted Cruz speaks during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. U.S. Senate Candidate Ted Cruz speaks during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. Photo: LM Otero / AP Image 22 of 44 Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, left, gets a kiss from his wife Tricia Dewhurst before he speaks to the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, June 8, 2012. Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, left, gets a kiss from his wife Tricia Dewhurst before he speaks to the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, June 8, 2012. Photo: LM Otero / AP Image 23 of 44 David Dewhurst waves before speaking during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. David Dewhurst waves before speaking during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, June 9, 2012. Photo: LM Otero / AP Image 24 of 44 Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and candidate for U.S. Senate speaks during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, June 8, 2012. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and candidate for U.S. Senate speaks during the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, June 8, 2012. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Photo: AP Image 25 of 44 Image 26 of 44 A bipartisan debate. A bipartisan debate. Photo: Mayra Beltran / Houston Chronicle Image 27 of 44 Senate contenders debate. Senate contenders debate. Photo: Texas Tribune Image 28 of 44 David Dewhurst and his daughter on primary night in Houston. David Dewhurst and his daughter on primary night in Houston. Photo: Smiley Pool / Houston Chronicle Image 29 of 44 David Dewhurst seeks votes. David Dewhurst seeks votes. Photo: Houston Chronicle Image 30 of 44 Image 31 of 44 Ted Cruz celebrates his second place finish on primary night. Ted Cruz celebrates his second place finish on primary night. Photo: Fox News Image 32 of 44 Ted Cruz visits a polling place at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church on primary day. Ted Cruz visits a polling place at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church on primary day. Photo: Erin Mulvaney / Houston Chronicle Image 33 of 44 Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz Photo: Mayra Beltran / Houston Chronicle Image 34 of 44 Ted Cruz campaigns with the Tea Party Express. Ted Cruz campaigns with the Tea Party Express. Photo: Associated Press Image 35 of 44 Image 36 of 44 Ted Cruz addresses a crowd of about 20 supporters at a restaurant in Temple on Saturday, May 26. Cruz vowed that, given a runoff against Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, he would win the Republican nomination. Ted Cruz addresses a crowd of about 20 supporters at a restaurant in Temple on Saturday, May 26. Cruz vowed that, given a runoff against Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, he would win the Republican nomination. Photo: Associated Press Image 37 of 44 Political partners: David Dewhurst and Gov. Rick Perry. Political partners: David Dewhurst and Gov. Rick Perry. Photo: Associated Press Image 38 of 44 Former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert Former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert Photo: Official photo Image 39 of 44 ESPN analyst and former football player Craig James ESPN analyst and former football player Craig James Photo: Pat Sullivan / Associated Press Image 40 of 44 Image 41 of 44 Craig James at home. Craig James at home. Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 42 of 44 Craig James as a star athlete at Stratford High. Craig James as a star athlete at Stratford High. Photo: Steve Ueckert / Houston Chronicle Image 43 of 44 Republican candidate Glenn Addison meets with a Texas voter. Republican candidate Glenn Addison meets with a Texas voter. Photo: Houston Chronicle |
The significance of plot without conflict In the West, plot is commonly thought to revolve around conflict: a confrontation between two or more elements, in which one ultimately dominates the other. The standard three- and five-act plot structures–which permeate Western media–have conflict written into their very foundations. A “problem” appears near the end of the first act; and, in the second act, the conflict generated by this problem takes center stage. Conflict is used to create reader involvement even by many post-modern writers, whose work otherwise defies traditional structure. The necessity of conflict is preached as a kind of dogma by contemporary writers’ workshops and Internet “guides” to writing. A plot without conflict is considered dull; some even go so far as to call it impossible. This has influenced not only fiction, but writing in general–arguably even philosophy. Yet, is there any truth to this belief? Does plot necessarily hinge on conflict? No. Such claims are a product of the West’s insularity. For countless centuries, Chinese and Japanese writers have used a plot structure that does not have conflict “built in”, so to speak. Rather, it relies on exposition and contrast to generate interest. This structure is known as kishōtenketsu. Kishōtenketsu contains four acts: introduction, development, twist and reconciliation. The basics of the story–characters, setting, etc.–are established in the first act and developed in the second. No major changes occur until the third act, in which a new, often surprising element is introduced. The third act is the core of the plot, and it may be thought of as a kind of structural non sequitur. The fourth act draws a conclusion from the contrast between the first two “straight” acts and the disconnected third, thereby reconciling them into a coherent whole. Kishōtenketsu is probably best known to Westerners as the structure of Japanese yonkoma (four-panel) manga; and, with this in mind, our artist has kindly provided a simple comic to illustrate the concept. Each panel represents one of the four acts. The resulting plot–and it is a plot–contains no conflict. No problem impedes the protagonist; nothing is pitted against anything else. Despite this, the twist in panel three imparts a dynamism–a chaos, perhaps–that keeps the comic from depicting merely a series of events. Panel four reinstates order by showing us how the first two panels connect to the third, which allows for a satisfactory ending without the need for a quasi-gladiatorial victory. It could be said that the last panel unifies the first three. The Western structure, on the other hand, is a face-off–involving character, theme, setting–in which one element must prevail over another. Our artist refitted the above comic into the three-act structure to show this difference. The first panel gives the reader a “default position” with which to compare later events; and the second panel depicts a conflict-generating problem with the vending machine. The third panel represents the climax of the story: the dramatic high point in which the heroine's second attempt "defeats" the machine and allows the can to drop. The story concludes by depicting the aftermath, wherein we find that something from the first act has changed as a result of the climax. In this case, our heroine sans beverage has become a heroine avec beverage. What this shows is that the three-act plot, unlike kishōtenketsu, is fundamentally confrontational. It necessarily involves one thing winning out over another, even in a minor case like the one above. This conclusion has wide-ranging implications, since both formats are applied not just to narratives, but to all types of writing. Both may be found under the hood of everything from essays and arguments to paragraphs and single sentences. As an example, the reader might re-examine the first two paragraphs of this article, in which a “default position” is set up and then interrupted by a “problem” (namely, the existence of kishōtenketsu). The following paragraphs deal with the conflict between the two formats. This paragraph, which escalates that conflict by explaining the culture-wide influence of each system, is the beginning of the climax. As this writer is already making self-referential, meta-textual remarks, it is only appropriate that the article’s climax take us into the realm of post-modern philosophy. It is a worldview obsessed with narrative and, perhaps unconsciously, with the central thesis of the three-act structure. Jacques Derrida, probably the best known post-modern philosopher, infamously declared that all of reality was a text–a series of narratives that could only be understood by appealing to other narratives, ad infinitum. What kinds of narratives, though? Perhaps a benign, kishōtenketsu-esque play between disconnection and reconnection, chaos and order? No; for Derrida, the only narrative was one of violence. As a Nietzschean, he believed that reality consisted, invariably, of one thing dominating and imposing on another, in a selfish exercise of its will to power. The “worst violence”, he thought, was when something was completely silenced and absorbed by another, its difference erased. Apparently, Derrida was uncontent with the three-act structure’s nearly complete control over Western writing: he had to project it onto the entire world. Eurocentrism has rarely had a more shining moment. Kishōtenketsu contains no such violence. The events of the first, second and third acts need not harm one another. They can stand separately, with Derrida’s beloved difference intact. Although the fourth act unifies the work, by no means must it do violence to the first three acts; rather, it is free merely to draw a conclusion from their juxtaposition, as Derrida does when he interprets one narrative through the lens of another. A world understood from the kishōtenketsu perspective need never contain the worst violence that Derrida fears, which would make his call for deconstruction–the prevention of silence through the annihiliation of structure–unnecessary. Is it possible that deconstruction could never have been conceived in a world governed by kishōtenketsu, rather than by the three-act plot? Is the three-act structure one of the elements behind the very worldview that calls for its deconstruction? Can the Western narrative of the will to power remain coherent in the face of a rival narrative from the East? This writer would prefer to ask than to answer these questions. Now, dear readers, comes the aftermath. The dust left over from the climax is settling. Kishōtenketsu has been shown to generate plot without conflict, which reveals as insular nonsense the West’s belief that they are inseparable. The repercussions of this extend to all writing; and, if this writer's conclusion is to be believed, to philosophy itself. Despite this, it should be noted that many of history’s greatest works have been built on the three- and five-act structures. By no means should they be discarded. Rather, they should be viewed as tools for telling certain types of stories. At the same time, this writer would like to end by calling for a renewed look at kishōtenketsu in the West. It offers writers the opportunity to explore plots with minimal or no conflict. Perhaps it could even change our worldview. Still Eating Oranges |
Pro-Male Affirmative Action? In a culture quick to claim victim status, the existence of a concerted effort to hush up systematic discrimination may seem surprising -- particularly when that discrimination is against women. Yet as the University of San Diego law professor Gail Heriot and Alison Somin write in the Federalist Society's Engage, there's been a notable lack of public debate about pro-male bias in the college admission process. It's an open secret, they explain, that a growing number of colleges are holding male and female applicants to different standards to inflate the number of male students. Women already receive about six in ten bachelor degrees, so many colleges that don't want their student bodies skewed too heavily female are making it easier for men to enroll. Just how prevalent is the practice? It's tough to say, since, as Heriot and Somin describe, an effort by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to study the situation was recently terminated. There are numerous reasons why so many would prefer to ignore, rather than analyze, this aspect of academic life. One might expect feminists to be outraged about universities systematically favoring less qualified men over higher-achieving women. But, as Heriot and Somin explain, peculiarities in Title IX enforcement encourage the practice, limiting ways that universities can otherwise seek to attract men (such as through athletics programs) and by creating a quota regime that kicks in only after the admission process. Indeed, the entire concept of pro-male affirmative action undermines the feminist cause. Admitting that women so dominate academia that men need special rules to compete exposes as absurd the feminists' continued push for funding for girl-power programs (such as those related to math and science) and their continued fixation on the exact number of female college athletes. Feminists also have long championed affirmative action programs for other underrepresented groups, which would make outrage about using different standards for men a stretch. Traditional opponents of affirmative action policies, on the other hand, tend to be concerned about the declining academic achievement of men. As a result, they may also be happy to ignore the inherent unfairness of this pro-male admissions process. Yet surely this is a phenomenon that deserves a public airing, both to clarify what constitutes "fair" admission procedures and to consider the state of our education system more broadly. Much has been written about how affirmative action programs tend to backfire on intended beneficiaries. There is every reason to expect that this will affect male affirmative-action beneficiaries just as it does any other group. Yet Americans can also sympathize with a college's desire to have a more diverse population than achievement-only admission criteria would generate. Ideally, colleges should be free to set policies as they see fit, and be rewarded or punished in a marketplace that takes into account a wide variety of factors, from prestige to quality of campus life to actual transmission of knowledge and skills. Concerns about taxpayer support being distributed through a process that considers attributes like race and sex (rather than affording true equal treatment) seems a good reason to get government out of the business of funding colleges, rather than limit how colleges make their selections. Young men's inability to compete on a level playing field with women should also invite consideration of other policy reforms. To start, let's recognize that government programs predicated on the idea of women as "short-changed" by the education system have long since been overtaken by reality. Our government's obsessive interest in enforcing a de facto quota system in the name of Title IX -- but only in areas where men still outnumber women, like sports and math and science programs -- is entirely inappropriate. Education reformers should consider why our K-12 education system fails to help so many boys reach their potential. Just as fixing the pipeline is ultimately the best path to boost minority education achievement, so it is with our nation's boys. Parents should consider whether traditional one-size-fits-all public schools are really best for their sons. Our education system should be restructured so that there are more options, including paradigms better-suited to serve boys' specific academic needs. Many may prefer to ignore pro-male affirmative action policies, but they are a symptom of larger issues that will continue to hurt American society. Carrie Lukas is the managing director of the Independent Women's Forum. |
FLINT, MI--The most recent World Cup was last year, but this week, Genesee County soccer fans get to see players from around the globe take the field at Perani Arena. Wednesday was the second of three days of games in Flint, which was one of eight U.S. sites to host the 2015 World Minifootball Federation Arena Soccer World Cup, a 12-team tournament. On Tuesday, Russia battled Serbia and Brazil played against Canada. On Wednesday night, Russia and Canada ended with a tie game at 6-6, and Brazil defeated Serbia with a final score of 10-4. The quarterfinal is at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, between Brazil and a team to be determined. Tickets for the quarterfinal game start at $10. A couple hundred attendees came to Perani on Wednesday, watching from the stands as the athletes played their hearts out with diving kicks, saves, and heated banter back and forth. "It's sort of wild, but I like it. It's like soccer, but in a hockey environment. It's fast-paced; I'm kind of amazed, actually," said Swartz Creek resident Scott Sanford. He attended the game with his wife, brother, sister-in-law, and nephews--nearly all of whom play soccer. Sanford said he recognized much of the audience members as soccer families from the area. "We come to Perani for a lot of events, and there's not a bad seat here," he added. He wasn't into soccer before his son began to play, but he has developed a respect for the sport after his son began to play. "The athleticism is quite high. I don't know if you've ever tried playing a sport without your hands, but it's kind of difficult," he said. "Now that I've seen it, I've got an appreciation for it. It's kind of like hockey--the most underpaid sport, but the highest level of respect." Soccer has been a part of Genesee Township resident Jason Whitney's life since he was four years old. He and his brother played at the Grand Blanc Soccerzone when they were young, on a team coached by their dad. Whitney later helped his dad coach his brother's team; he and his brother still play, and he now coaches his two daughters' teams at Soccerzone. He "My kids have taken a liking to the sport, and that's exciting to me to see them play something I've played my whole life," Whitney said. He attended the game with his mother, his brother and his daughters. "As soon as we first found out (about the Arena Soccer World Cup), my mom and my brother got tickets the first day they were available," he said. "We were excited to come spend some family time, and this was the first (semiprofessional soccer game) that's been in the area in a while." Whitney and Sanford both think the games at Perani will make the kids watching excited to keep playing soccer. "They're going to be motivated," Whitney said. "The fact that they're here, and get to see some guys who are really good at it, very talented individuals playing a sport. My son is not a soccer fanatic, but now that he's seen a fast paced version of it, I think he's going to be into it." |
SPRINGDALE -- Early voting in Fayetteville's annual school election began Tuesday, the same day of the election for the city's anti-discrimination ordinance. The special city election drew 14,593 voters to the polls. The annual school election is this Tuesday. Fayetteville is among eight districts in Benton and Washington counties with contested school board races. Polls will open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. Voting in Benton County will be by precinct. In Washington County, voters can cast ballots at any polling site. The last chance to vote early is from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today. In Benton County, early voting is available at county clerk's offices at 215 E. Central Ave., Suite 217, in Bentonville; 1428 W. Walnut St. in Rogers; and 707 S. Lincoln St. in Siloam Springs. In Washington County, early voting is available at the county clerk's office, 280 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville. In Benton County, 226 residents had voted early in school elections as of Friday, including 123 voting in a contested race for Zone 5 on the Rogers School Board and 30 for a contested race for Zone 1 on the Bentonville School Board, said Dana Caler, county elections administrator. In Washington County, 95 residents had voted early in school elections by Friday, including 68 in the contested race for Zone 2 on the Fayetteville School Board, Deputy County Clerk Jamie Reynolds said. Residents of Zone 2 of the Fayetteville School District are choosing among three candidates: Jeanne Champagne, Phil Jones and Bob Maranto. Incumbent Bryn Bagwell did not run for re-election. If necessary, a runoff election will take place Oct. 6. Bentonville and Rogers also have contested races. Eowyn Francis Moore is challenging Rebecca Powers for the Zone 1 seat in Bentonville. More than 7,500 people are eligible to vote. Paige Sultemeier and Dulce Aguirre are competing for the Zone 5 seat in Rogers, hoping to replace Jerry Carmichael, who decided not to pursue re-election after 16 years on the board. Zone 5 has more 10,700 eligible voters. The two incumbents up for re-election to the Springdale School Board were the only ones to file as candidates: Mike Luttrell and Danny Dotson. In school districts without contested board races, the annual school election is done by early and absentee voting only. Voters in Decatur, Gentry, Farmington, Prairie Grove and West Fork also will settle contested races. Voters also will vote on millages, as required by state law. If no changes are proposed, millages stay the same regardless of whether they pass or fail at the polls. No school districts have proposed changing millages in this month's elections. Zone 2 of the Fayetteville School District has 12,850 eligible voters, 11,349 of whom were eligible to vote in the city election, said Jennifer Price, Washington County election coordinator. Last Tuesday, the day Fayetteville voted on its anti-discrimination ordinance, 24 residents of Zone 2 cast early ballots for the three-way School Board race, said Washington County Clerk Becky Lewallen. The two elections in Fayetteville could not take place on the same day under state law, Price said. With some exceptions, special elections, such as the vote on the anti-discrimination ordinance, can take place in almost any month, but must be on the second Tuesday of the month, according to state law. State law sets the date for the annual school elections for millages and school board members as the third Tuesday in September. The overlap in elections in Fayetteville likely would have little effect on voter turnout because the early voting site for the School Board election was different from polling sites used for the city vote, said Janine Parry, a professor of political science at the University of Arkansas. Frequent elections are a concern for political scientists who often advocate for fewer elections for fewer offices as a way to increase voter participation, Parry said. Voters have the option of participating in an average of four to six elections per year. "The more elections a country has per year, the lower the average turnout at those elections," Parry said. School board elections done by zone involve voters from small geographic units, Parry said. Coupled with low turnout, school board races can be decided by a few hundred voters. Metro on 09/14/2015 |
Stoic, silent and strong, Ren brings up the rear for Team JNPR with deft movements and a calm attitude.This is the fourth in a series of the JNPR team.Part 1: Jaune Arc Part 2: Nora Valkyrie Part 3: Pyrrha Nikos Part 4: Lie Ren I started sketching for the series back in February after Monty Oum passed and wanted to make a companion series to 's Team RWBY pictures . Needless to say it has been a slow process, but I am finally posting these in anticipation to Volume 3 coming out this Saturday, October 24th!This was the first one that I finished in this series so it's odd to be posting it last. This is my tribute to Monty Oum. I thank him and the team at RoosterTeeth for helping the animation community here in the west by making plot based cartoons and bluring the definition to "".If you are an anime fan, this series is a definite must see and is all available on Chrunchyroll and Netflix. If you like what you see, check out my website for commission info! www.raffian.wix.com/portfolio All character and design rights reserved to (c) Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth |
Jealous man cuts off penis of wife's lover, flushes it Garden shears like these were used to cut off a man's genitals in an alleged crime of passion in Tokyo. Garden shears like these were used to cut off a man's genitals in an alleged crime of passion in Tokyo. Photo: De Agostini/Getty Images Photo: De Agostini/Getty Images Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Jealous man cuts off penis of wife's lover, flushes it 1 / 1 Back to Gallery A Tokyo graduate student whose wife was apparently having a romance with a co-worker burst into their office, beat the man nearly senseless, pulled down his rival's pants and snipped off his penis with garden shears, police say. He then flushed the severed genitals down the toilet, according to an AFP report. Police arrested the student, 24-year-old Ikki Kotsugai, shortly after the 7:40 a.m. Thursday attack at the law office in the city's Minato ward. Kotsugai is a former university boxer, according to public broadcaster NHK. He was charged with inflicting bodily harm. The condition of the victim, an unidentified 42-year-old lawyer, was not known. Kotsugai's wife was reportedly present when her husband charged in and began punching the paramour in the face. |
Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. Aug. 9, 2016, 9:07 AM GMT / Updated Aug. 9, 2016, 3:47 PM GMT / Source: Reuters IMPHAL, India — One of India's most prominent political activists ended a 16-year hunger strike Tuesday, licking honey from her hand and declaring "I will never forget this moment." Irom Sharmila had been force-fed through a tube in her nose and held by police since November 2000, when she began her fast to protest a draconian security law that gives immense power to security forces in the northeastern state of Manipur. Irom Chanu Sharmila breaks her 16 year-old fast by tasting honey. STR / EPA Earlier Tuesday, a judge had granted her bail after she assured him that she planned to end her fast. Hours later, she appeared at a news conference, the nose tube already removed, and tasted the honey. She said she plans to run in the next Manipur state elections, in early 2017, to fight to have the security act struck down. "I need power to remove this act," said Sharmila, 44. "I am the real embodiment of revolution." Asked how she felt to finally eat, she said "I will never forget this moment." She began her fast days after 10 civilians were killed by paramilitary soldiers in Manipur, which has long been plagued by uprisings by ethnic separatist militants and violent government crackdowns. She was charged with attempting suicide — a crime in India — allowing officials to force-feed her. Sharmila announced last week that she planned to end the fast and run for political office. On Tuesday, an official with Amnesty International India said the fast was "a testament to her passion for human rights." The government arrested her, confined her to a hospital room and force fed her for 16 years, seemingly to break her will. There was zero dialogue. A peaceful protest was criminalized," said the official, Abhirr VP. Irom Sakhi Devi, the 84-year-old mother of activist Irom Sharmila, holds and cleans a portrait of her daughter at her home in Imphal, India, on Monday. Anupam Nath / AP The Armed Forces Special Powers Act is in effect in Indian-ruled Kashmir and in a number of northeastern areas facing separatist insurgencies. The law gives security forces the right to shoot to kill suspected rebels without fear of possible prosecution and to arrest suspected militants without warrants. It also gives police wide-ranging powers of search and seizure. The act prohibits soldiers from being prosecuted for alleged rights violations except with express permission from the federal government. Such prosecutions are rare. Manipur, like some other parts of the northeast, faces unrest from separatist militant groups fighting for ethnic enclaves or independent states. Most northeasterners are ethnically more tied to China or Myanmar than they are to most of India. |
Copyright by WKBN - All rights reserved AP Photo/Al Behrman Copyright by WKBN - All rights reserved AP Photo/Al Behrman BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) - Police said a man living in Boardman held a break-in suspect at gunpoint until officers arrived. The man -- a CCW holder -- reported that he spotted two suspects going through his neighbor's car on Devonshire Drive just before 2 a.m. Thursday. He then grabbed his gun and ordered them to get on the ground until officers arrived. According to a police report, one of the suspects managed to run away when the man yelled for his girlfriend to call the police. The other suspect -- a 17-year-old boy -- was arrested when officers arrived. He admitted that he and his friend, who he refused to name, were breaking into cars in the area, according to the report. The owner of the car said nothing was missing, but the contents of her glove box were scattered across the front passenger seat. The teenager is charged with theft, criminal trespass, possession of criminal tools, obstructing official business and a curfew violation. Police said he refused to answer an officer's questions and was turned over to his mother. Police said three other vehicles on Devonshire Drive had been ransacked, although nothing was missing. . |
The latest US Senate Foreign Relations Committee report suggests the US will seek to maintain its position as the only superior military power in the Arabian Peninsula and Persian Gulf region for the time being. Despite the troop withdrawal from Iraq, the American military presence in the area is set to expand. The seven-point report suggests that working in close cooperation with GCC (Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf) states, the US intends to maintain military bases or presence in practically all of those countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen. Americans call this strategy a “lily pad” model. The US military bases scattered here and there enable the US military command to hold the territory under full control, allowing to increase military presence in chosen locations at any given time. In Kuwait alone, where the US has three bases, there are 15,000 troops stationed, including a couple of brigade combat teams and a combat aviation brigade. Overall in the region there are reportedly 40,000 American servicemen ready for action. The build-up of the American contingent in the region is a direct result of Washington withdrawing troops from Iraq in December 2011. The troops and military vehicles did not actually go far: many simply crossed the border with Kuwait and added to the population of the three US bases that serve as logistical hubs, training ranges, and which provide support for regional operations. Besides, the territory of Kuwait is securely covered by Patriot missile batteries stationed there, a vital element of missile defense to be developed in the region, as promised by the US to its allies. If one divides the Persian Gulf lengthwise, it becomes clear that one shore is under tight Washington control, with troops stationed in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Despite the fact that the United States withdrew most troops from Saudi Arabia in 2003, the country remains the biggest American arms buyer. Some 3,000 servicemen of the 64th Air Expeditionary Group are still stationed about 20 km southeast of the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh. Seven principles of US military policy in the Persian Gulf: 1. The US ensures a “security umbrella” to its Arab allies. 2. The US remains a central part of the Gulf security framework. 3. The US increases trade relations with GCC states to promote economic reform and diversification. 4. The US preserves the “lily pad” model of military bases throughout the Gulf region, which permits the rapid escalation of military force in case of emergency. 5. The US uses the GCC partners’ capabilities in select defensive missions, though keeping its role as a security guarantor. 6. The US provides the Gulf partners with security assistance, supports a comprehensive strategy for regional arms sales and ensures a stable security architecture. 7. The US should promote the gradual political reintegration of Iraq into the Arab fold. The other side of the Gulf belongs to a nation that actually gave its ancient name to it – Iran. Since Iran and its nuclear program remain a major stumbling block in international politics, the correct answer to the question “why does Washington need so many combat-ready troops in the Persian Gulf” is Iran. There is simply no other nation in the region that might pose a threat to Washington’s interests in the Middle East. The Gulf Security Architecture: Partnership with the Gulf Cooperation Council report prepared by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee again stresses the political and economic importance of the region for the US and outlines seven principles for the US military to provide security in the Persian Gulf region. The US continues to expand its combat-capable presence in the unstable region of the Middle East despite a declared shift of interests to the Asia-Pacific region. Heavy financing of the American contingent in the Gulf region is called to stress that America has not forgotten its Arab allies and that Washington intends to play a military superpower role in the foreseeable future. |
Radio host Howard Stern on Monday slammed CNN, saying it used a misleading headline to make it look as though he challenged Donald Trump's assertion that he never supported the Iraq war. "I got so upset because, you know, let’s face it, tapes from our show featuring Donald Trump have been used in the campaign," Stern said on his Sirius XM show on Monday. Talking about this incident with news anchor Robin Quivers, Stern said, "And the other day I was talking to Robin on the air, and I said to her, yeah, you know it was really surreal sorta laying there in bed and watching them mention my name on the debate. And I said, basically for people who might not be aware, I said, yeah, Trump was on our show, and he was talking — I asked him about the Iraq war, and he said that he was for it." CNN last Thursday held a panel discussion on Stern's comments on his Wednesday show. On that show, Stern talked about the first presidential debate between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, noting that Stern's name had come up in the debate. Stern in 2002 had asked Trump on air whether he supported the Iraq War. "Yeah, I guess so," Trump said. "I wish the first time it was done correctly." Trump has since said those words were half-hearted and off-the-cuff. In reality he said, he opposed the war, and said so privately to Fox News host Sean Hannity, who supported it. Hannity, a Trump supporter, has backed up that account. But it was CNN's bottom-of-the-screen graphic "Howard Stern Says Trump Backed Iraq War In 2002" and a similar one "Howard Stern Bombshell: Trump Backed Iraq War in 2002" that upset the radio host. Stern said he emailed Trump to let him know the CNN portrayal was not accurate. The Hill's Joe Concha notes that in other interviews as the war was getting underway, Trump said the United States should wait for the United Nations before invading. Quivers noted that Stern "didn't confirm anything" and said, "Well, you see what the press does. They make up things!" "I said nothing new," Stern said. "I felt a little weird about that. I'll be honest with you, I did." |
Here it is: the one chart you’ll ever need to understand shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. It will help you to create better black and white photos, it helps to explain why your lenses are more important than your camera, how to get the most of them, etc. If you don’t understand any of this, take a look at our guide to terminology. Or…take it with you. This chart will help you with the dark art of metering and shooting out in the field, like at pop culture events. Enjoy! Editor’s Note: This isn’t our chart. It was sent into us by a reader. Thanks Andrew! Please Support The Phoblographer We love to bring you guys the latest and greatest news and gear related stuff. However, we can’t keep doing that unless we have your continued support. If you would like to purchase any of the items mentioned, please do so by clicking our links first and then purchasing the items as we then get a small portion of the sale to help run the website. Also, please follow us on Facebook, Flickr and Twitter. |
It is early, very early, to make any definitive statements about the Paris terror attacks of last night. But as I used to say—in the countless counter-terror meetings I attended in Washington following 9/11—I am paid to speculate, so I shall. For counter-intuitively, informed speculation can provide a useful framework for analysis as the real world facts dribble in, constructing a paradigm based on first principles that can help us master where the West should go from here in policy terms in combating our enemies. Goal of terrorism Simply put—but far too often forgotten—the goal of terrorism is to terrorize, to so emotionally throw one’s enemy off balance that they begin to make horrendous mistakes which suit the terrorist’s purposes. The humanly understandable (but in policy terms unforgivable) sin of over-reaction is the most likely benefit terrorists everywhere derive from their acts of violence. Surely, following the carnage of 9/11, Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda couldn’t believe their luck as the rightly enraged Bush administration committed one folly after another, leading directly to the debacle in Iraq. As such, above all in this terrible moment, we must calmly think through what the terrorists want us to do, and deny that to them, if we are to triumph. In terrorizing, terrorists must now again not force the West into a series of cataclysmic mistakes Dr. John C. Hulsman The facts, as we know them on Saturday morning, are these. At least 128 people have been killed and 180 injured in Paris as a result of seven closely coordinated attacks across the city, including 118 people dying in the single terrorist incursion at the Bataclan concert hall. At least eight terrorists died in the operation, with the possibility remaining that others are still at liberty. The attack was coolly carried out, with reports coming from Bataclan that the terrorists had time to reload their weapons at least three times in the process of slaying their victims. French President Francois Hollande has immediately declared a state of emergency—the first in France as a whole since the troubled days of 1958—and imposed border controls. The attack exposes all the present weak points of French society. A report issued by the French Senate in April of this year estimates that fully 1430 of 3000-plus European jihadists who had travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight for ISIS were French. Even more frighteningly, the French secret services believe that at least 200 French jihadis, who have spent time with ISIS, have since returned to the country. France’s inability to integrate its large Muslim population into the country’s mainstream—the Muslim minority makes up a full 7.5% of the population—makes it fertile terrorist ground for recruiting converts. Shockingly, it is estimated that a massive 70% of inmates in French prisons are Muslims, providing an incubator for radical jihadis from across the globe. If France’s societal divisions make it vulnerable to both attacks and terrorist recruitment, its long-held, muscular leadership role in combating radicalism also makes it a likely target. Be the issue Mali, al-Qaeda in North Africa, or ISIS, France has forthrightly taken a leading military role. Only this past week, Paris sent its only aircraft carrier, the Charles De Gaulle, to the Gulf, where it is to help coordinate air strikes against ISIS in both Iraq and Syria. Indeed, one of the terrorists reportedly shouted, ‘This is for Syria,’ as he went about his murderous business. If ISIS was either the instigator or inspiration for these attacks (and while I surely cannot prove it, my money would be on them) it amounts to a grim reminder that there will always be a price to be paid in standing up to terrorists. The next step in analytical understanding is to look at who benefits in terms of domestic French and European politics from the outrages in Paris. The simple answer is that the xenophobic Front National of Marine Le Pen is the specific immediate beneficiary, with those calling for drastic curbs on refugees coming to Europe also winning out. The security fear has always been that in Europe’s chaotic, haphazard approach to the refugee crisis, radical Islamists will sneak through the open door, allowing them to perpetuate the sort of attack we have just witnessed. Disastrous outcome Putting the above analysis together allows us a pretty clear read on what the terrorists want: France to do less in fighting ISIS and jihadists throughout the world, the rise of xenophobic forces within France itself (which serve as an invaluable recruiting tool for jihadists), and the strengthening of nationalistic European forces desiring to keep Syrian refugees out of Europe. Such a disastrous outcome would only widen the already mammoth cleavages between the Middle East and Europe, and would certainly add to the power of radical jihadists, who would have been given a wonderfully compelling narrative of a weak France, but one that is increasingly xenophobic and unwelcoming to refugees. This would amount to nothing less than a geopolitical calamity of the first order. Instead, France and the West must bravely (and indeed following such a horrendous attack it does require bravery to keep calm and carry on) deny the terrorists the political gains they so fervently desire. France must march shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the west in combating ISIS and al-Qaeda, while at the same time it must remain a generous country, both in terms of European refugee flows in general, and lessening divisions with its own restive Muslim minority in particular. A strong, generous France denies the terrorists the very thing they want. In honour the many victims, that is the outcome that Paris must arrive at. In terrorizing, terrorists must now again not force the West into a series of cataclysmic mistakes. We Americans are with you, Paris; but you must do better than we did after 9/11, and deny the terrorists the sort of narrative that they want. _______________ Dr. John C. Hulsman is the President and Co-Founder of John C. Hulsman Enterprises (www.john-hulsman.com), a successful global political risk consulting firm. An eminent foreign policy expert, John is the senior columnist for City AM, the newspaper of the city of London. Hulsman is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. The author of all or part of 11 books, Hulsman has also given 1490 interviews, written over 410 articles, prepared over 1270 briefings, and delivered more than 460 speeches on foreign policy around the world. Last Update: Saturday, 14 November 2015 KSA 13:36 - GMT 10:36 |
Manohar blogs DIY - Grow algae at home. You are here There's a new trend sprouting among local off-gridders, urban farmers, DIY scientists and Burning Man fanatics: home-grown algae.This movement is being spearheaded by Aaron Baum, 40, a Harvard and Stanford graduate who researches algae farming for NASA. Two years ago, he also created what he believes is the world's first community algae lab. The Berkeley Shipyard-based project consisted of 16 55-gallon tanks of algae but became so time consuming that when Baum traveled the world last year to visit algae farms and attend algae lectures, he shuttered it.The latest iteration of the San Rafael resident's algae revolution is teaching people to create personal photobioreactors, or 5-gallon algae tanks. To that end, Baum has recently launched a series of workshops on raising spirulina, a strain of algae that's relatively easy to grow and harvest.There are more than 50,000 strains of algae, so Baum advises against foraging for wild, unidentified algae which can be toxic. Spirulina is the strain that's been most evaluated for its safety and health benefits. Baum explains all this in detail at the workshops, which typically draw between one and two dozen people.Spirulina's a superfood that's high in complete protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. It's normally sold in pill or powder form, tastes like seaweed (a turnoff for many) and costs about $80 a pound. But Baum says that when it's fresh, it tastes "light, creamy and buttery." He suggests eating fresh spirulina uncooked (to maintain its nutrients) in soups, smoothies and dips.Highly affordableRaising spirulina requires a complex mix of nutrients, acid/base balance, temperature and other physical requirements. But Baum says it's the food of the future because it can grow in ultra-compact areas, cleans greenhouse gases, and reproduces in a matter of hours so it can be harvested every day.While laboratory algae tanks can cost tens of thousands of dollars, Baum's seven-hour workshops costs $150 and hand-built tanks go for $150, pretty much at cost."I think everyone was pretty thrilled, excited to get growing. It seemed like a lot more possible for the common person, even with no science background," said Katia Sussman, 26, who attended a recent workshop in Berkeley.Baum's so serious about making algae accessible that he's offered to help workshop participants install their tanks for free if they run into trouble.Baum wants to continue to form the Linux of algae - a DIY community that uses low-cost materials and shares information. He has hundreds of people on his mailing list and fields inquiries from as far as Italy and Japan."Aaron could've made a lot of money but he's committed to doing it open source," said Mike Gittelsohn, a software engineer and fellow algae-phile. "A lot of companies want to keep their knowledge proprietary."Technological impasseBaum, a calm man with hoop earrings, a chinstrap beard and a self-described "nerdhawk" (a shaved head with a tuft of hair at the nape of the neck) had a circuitous journey to his algae obsession. His father was a psychology professor who wanted to get away from capitalism so the family lived on a 2-acre farm in New Hampshire with a solar home, chickens, pigs and goats. Baum's favorite pastime was exploring the woods.At 14, he attended a college-level astronomy course, which sparked his passion for physics. Baum studied the subject at Harvard and enrolled in an applied physics doctoral program at Stanford where he had a full scholarship as a National Science Fellow. At the Farm, he developed a new electron source for electron beam microscopy and lithography, and earned multiple patents.Upon graduating in 1997, Baum continued developing his research at Intevac, but three years later his technology reached an impasse and he came to a realization: "I was working my butt off to make computer chips go faster," he said.He had made money through real estate, so Baum quit.Musical ball inventedFor the next seven years, he was an artist and his work culminated in the "boing" a large inflatable ball-shaped structure with sensors that created music when people bounced on it. His work appeared everywhere from dance troupe performances to the semifinals of ABC's "American Inventor."But Baum missed the intellectual nature of science and the opportunity to help people, so in 2006, he spent several months researching which scientific topics could most benefit humanity."He's really dedicated to scientific truth and he's really into serving the planet," said Amanda Johnsen, Baum's girlfriend of three years.The one topic that kept resurfacing was algae.Baum and a small group built an algae exhibit for Burning Man in 2007. The installation consisted of a trailer hosting 16 algae tanks that consumed the exhaust of a generator. A NASA employee was so inspired by Baum's work that when he discovered NASA had an algae project, he quickly joined it and gave Baum a call. Baum advised the group and is now contracted to work on NASA's Omega project, which studies algae farming to produce biofuel, fertilizer and food.Aside from NASA and the workshop, Baum is busy writing a novel about global warming and designing an inexpensive photoprobe to measure the health and density of algae. If the probe pans out, he may launch a company around the product.But he will always remain dedicated to getting algae to the masses. "Algae is an incredible resource we haven't tapped," he says. "Even people with no dirt can grow fresh food for themselves."Algae workshop: Led by Aaron Baum. April 17. $150 for workshop only, $300 for workshop plus photo-bioreactor kit. 1600 Sand Hill Road, Palo Alto. algaelab.com. |
Tesco under investigation by new regulator over dealings with suppliers Britain’s grocery industry watchdog has launched an investigation into Tesco amid allegations that it delayed payments to suppliers and unfairly handled payments for shelf promotions. The groceries code adjudicator (GCA), which is set to be handed new powers to impose penalties on large retailers of up to 1% of their annual UK turnover, said it had made the decision after considering information related to practices associated with Tesco’s first half profit over-statement. The adjudicator Christine Tacon said: “I have reasonable suspicion that Tesco breached the code in two areas. One is reasonable payments and second is payments for better positions on shelf outside promotions.” Supermarket probe is boost rural areas need | Letters Read more Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she urged suppliers to come forward and said their anonymity would be protected. She said: “I can legally require suppliers to give me the information I want for an investigation. I have a legal duty to protect their anonymity. And in this case there is very much safety in numbers and I frequently hear about the same issues from every sector in groceries from toilet rolls, to apples, to wine. I’m just looking for a large amount of evidence and anonymity will be protected.” Tacon added: “My sanctions are to issue legally binding recommendations on their processes and how they should behave in future. I can require them to name and shame - take out adverts in terms of what they have done. At this point I don’t have financial penalties because that part of my powers has not yet come into legislation.” The watchdog said the probe, which will cover the conduct of Tesco from 25 June 2013 to 5 February 5 2015, was expected to take place over the next six to nine months and called for evidence to be submitted by 3 April. The GCA’s probe adds to investigations by Britain’s Serious Fraud Office and the Financial Reporting Council into Tesco’s accounting scandal, in which it overstated profit by £263m. A statement said: “The investigation will consider the existence and extent of practices which have resulted in delay in payments to suppliers. This will include in particular, but not be limited to, delay in payments associated with: • Short deliveries, including imposition of penalties • Consumer complaints where the amounts were not agreed • Invoicing discrepancies such as duplicate invoicing where two invoices were issued for the same product • Deductions for unknown or un-agreed items • Deductions for promotional fixed costs (gate fees) that were incorrect • Deductions in relation to historic promotions which had not been agreed.” A Tesco spokesman said: “We have worked closely with the office of the Adjudicator since its creation to put in place strong compliance processes. “Following our announcement last September regarding commercial income, we have worked with her to identify any relevant GSCOP issues. An internal review we carried out and shared with the GCA identified some areas of concern. “We have taken action to strengthen compliance and, as we have announced, we are changing the way we work with suppliers. We will continue to co-operate fully with the GCA as she carries out her investigation and welcome the opportunity for our suppliers to provide direct feedback.” Business secretary Vince Cable said: “This is an historic day for the groceries code adjudicator and shows we have created a regulator that has real teeth. “Last week I secured the final agreement in government to proceed with legislation to enable the regulator to impose hefty fines for those supermarkets found guilty of mistreating suppliers.” |
The two appear to be a study in contrasts – but both display a remarkable lack of compassion. Their likeness could serve to justify Democrats’ opposition On the surface, they could hardly be more different. Neil Gorsuch is known for his intellectual firepower; Donald Trump speaks at the level of a 10-year-old. Gorsuch has literary panache; Trump once referred to the size of his genitalia on a presidential debate stage. Gorsuch is a textualist; Trump makes up his own facts. And at first, it seemed confirmation hearings for Gorsuch’s nomination to be the next justice on the supreme court this week would only serve to heighten these contrasts. As Trump tweeted angry disinformation in response to the revelation of an FBI investigation into his administration, Gorsuch sat coolly before members of the Senate judiciary committee. He quoted Socrates and reminisced with Ted Cruz about playing ball on the supreme court’s basketball court as young clerks. Mainly, though, he successfully dodged senators’ questions aimed at, as one put it, determining “who you really are”. He was one of the most evasive nominees in recent memory, but what he did finally reveal had nothing to do with his patently conservative ideology – one thought to be even more staunchly conservative than that of the man he would replace, the late Antonin Scalia. Instead, on display were a set of unmistakably Trumpian attributes that should sound familiar to any close observer of the 2016 presidential election: a cold cognitive empathy coupled with a dearth of compassion. When Neil Gorsuch put corporate interests over a man freezing to death Read more One of the most revealing moments came on Tuesday as Gorsuch sought to explain his dissent in TransAm Trucking v Administrative Review Board. A focus of Democratic questioning much of the week, it has come to be known as the “frozen trucker” case. In it, Gorsuch sided with TransAm’s decision to fire its employee Alphonse Maddin for disobeying company orders after his truck broke down in subzero temperatures and he began to fear he would freeze to death. After notifying his employer and waiting hours, Maddin unhitched and temporarily abandoned his trailer to seek shelter. The dissenting opinion filed by Gorsuch in effect presented him with what sounds like an inhumane option: leave and be fired or stay and risk freezing. Senator Al Franken asked Gorsuch what he would have done in those circumstances. “I don’t know what I would have done if I were in his shoes,” Gorsuch replied. “And I don’t blame him at all for a moment for doing what he did do. I empathize with him entirely.” Empathy is often conflated with sympathy or compassion, but there’s a crucial difference. The latter connote feeling; the first does not. Having empathy, as Gorsuch said he had for Maddin, is morally neutral; it does not mean someone will necessarily help a person in need, only that they understand their situation. By Maddin’s own account, three hours into waiting for help to arrive, his torso went numb. He couldn’t feel his feet and felt himself “fading”. Gorsuch understood that cognitively. Yet when presented with credible and abundant evidence of the grave risks faced by Maddin, Gorsuch deemed them irrelevant. He may have empathized with Maddin but that did not lead him to change his legal opinion. What’s unusual here is not Gorsuch’s conservative philosophy or textualist tendencies. It’s not even that he sided with a company over the “little guy”, as Democrats repeatedly said. It’s that the fact that Maddin might have died sitting there waiting for help at 14-below, if he’d been unwise enough to follow the only option made available by Gorsuch, did not appear to enter into his calculus. He did not seem to care. “A good judge doesn’t give a whit about politics,” Gorsuch said at one point, a line whose variations would become a mantra of his throughout the week. But Gorsuch’s record and comments suggest he may also believe a good judge does not give a whit about people. Researchers distinguish between two types of empathy: that of thought, and that of feeling and emotion. In Trump, the split appears remarkably pronounced, playing into an identity biographers point to as the salient feature of his personality. “Trump is a former schoolyard bully who was sent away to military school to learn proper behavior. That schooling obviously failed,” the Trump biographer Harry Hurt III told the Guardian. “Trump has matured, if one can use that term, into a courthouse bully.” Common sense might seem to suggest bullies have low levels of empathy, but that may not get it quite right. A 2010 study published in Educational Psychology found bullies lack “affective empathy” but not “cognitive empathy”. The finding suggests children had insight into their victims’ psyches but lacked the type of empathy – feeling-based empathy, or compassion – that might have deterred them from hurting others. Trump’s greatest gift appears to be in this latter realm – the ability to see into the thoughts and concerns of others enabled him to forge a connection with voters no other candidates conjure. Such a lens could help explain Trump’s ability to win over poor rural white people on the one hand, and willingness to get right to work crafting healthcare legislation that would hurt the very voters who gave him his mandate on the other. In Gorsuch’s case, his charming political polish, enabled by his self-proclaimed empathy, allows him to respond in kind to emotional lines of questioning. When Dianne Feinstein questioned him about his views on the right to die – he has opposed assisted suicide and euthanasia – she invoked painful memories of her ailing father imploring her: “Stop this, Dianne, I’m dying,” and close friends pushed to endure when “there was no hope”. Gorsuch responded accordingly. “We’ve all been through it with family. My heart goes out to you, it does, and I’ve been there with my dad, OK? And others,” he said. “And at some point you want to be left alone. Enough with the poking and the prodding. I want to go home and die in my own bed in the arms of my family,” he went on. And yet he failed to explain why none of this made a dent in his thinking. (And having written an entire book on the matter, he has clearly thought about it a lot.) In his book, he wrote: “All human beings are intrinsically valuable and the intentional taking of human life by private persons is always wrong.” Pressed further on questions of extreme pain at the end of life for the terminally ill, Gorsuch tried to draw a line between knowing and intention. “The position I took in the book on that was anything necessary to alleviate pain would be appropriate and acceptable, even if it caused death, not intentionally, but knowingly,” he said. “I drew a line between intent and knowingly.” What exactly his intent was in making that distinction is hard to know. Especially because a moment later, Gorsuch was back to cognitive empathy. “I have been there. I have been there,” he said. Headlines would suggest it was he, not Feinstein (the person detailing her father’s death and its effect on her) who got emotional. Whether he did or not, his legal position did not change. Throughout the week, Gorsuch dodged nearly every substantive question by saying he would defer to precedent. But in TransAm Trucking v Administrative Review Board we saw him fight precedent – in this particular case, a legal statute known as Chevron deference – for what appear to be the pettiest of possible reasons. In his remarkably flippant opinion, Gorsuch narrows legal definitions to make them more restrictive, and even at one point compares Maddin’s decision to unhitch his broken trailer from the truck and seek shelter to an employee “using an office computer not for work but to compose the great American novel”. He goes on to speak dismissively about his colleagues prioritizing what he refers to as “ends as ephemeral and generic as ‘health and safety’.” He adding: “After all, what under the sun, at least at some level of generality, doesn’t relate to ‘health and safety?’” The language of the decision is in jarring contrast to the tone he adopted throughout the confirmation hearing process: affable, inoffensive, and almost entirely devoid of content. Here, too, Gorsuch is breaking with precedent, according to Justin Wedeking, a political science professor at the University of Kentucky, who has analyzed these hearings as far back as 1955. “We have not crunched any numbers yet,” Wedeking said, “but it appears Gorsuch has been more hesitant than recent nominees to answer questions in a forthcoming manner, in some cases even refusing to offer a partially qualified answer.” His previous analysis, in a 2010 report co-authored by Dion Farganis, found supreme court picks have become more evasive over time and questions from senators have become more aggressive. Senate Democrats pledge to block Neil Gorsuch's supreme court nomination Read more But the trouble with Gorsuch, we learned this week, is not ideology but humanity. That’s something Maddin, tellingly, has noticed too. “It seemed like an attempt to avoid the human element,” he told the Associated Press of Gorsuch’s dissent in his case. “When you think something that’s a legal matter, that nature and magnitude, I would think that he would have referred to me ... by name. He refers to me simply as a trucker.” If Democrats choose to filibuster, fight and delay Gorsuch for as long as they can, their biggest justification may not be that his seat was stolen and the moment calls for a moderate, nor because he offered next to no substantive answers this week – it may be because, faced with the very real specter of a compromised president intent on overreaching his powers, he offers worse than no check. In unguarded moments, he offers more of the same. “I’m not an algorithm,” he said in one such moment, “but I try really hard, and it’s almost like an athlete. It’s something judges practice and hopefully we get better at it with time.” Judging from his testimony and his record, he needn’t try so hard. Such detachment seems to come naturally. |
Paul Manafort, who served for approximately five months in 2016 as President Trump’s campaign manager, turned himself over to the FBI Monday after being indicted on 12 counts, including “conspiracy against the United States.” As is always the case with scandals of this magnitude, expect the usual suspects in political and media circles to spin away to make sure they end up on the right side of this story. But before that happens, it’s worth recalling which members of the so-called swamp hailed the Manafort hire last year. Now that the former Trump chief and longtime Republican insider is persona non grata, expect these self-styled insiders to pretend like they knew all along that Manafort's bagge was toxic. Expect them to pretend they never hailed the hire as a stroke of political genius. Expect them to say Manafort's impact on the Trump campaign was minimal. Newt Gingrich, for example, will likely continue to play the role of faithful Trump foot soldier, and will probably downplay or dismiss when he said in August 2016 that, “Nobody should underestimate how much Paul Manafort did to really help get this [Trump] campaign to where it is right now." Disgraced journalist Mark Halperin, should he resurface anytime soon, will also probably downplay the time he claimed it was very smart and very clever that Trump brought on Manafort. "[T]here's now a chance for the campaign to both … turn the page on the narrative of things and say yes, we understand things are not going the right way" Halperin said in June 2016. "And for those associated with Paul Manafort to make the kind of changes and the kind of hiring decisions that they wanted to make." He cheered the hire, saying it would help Trump to become a more “mainstream candidate” and that it would help him run a “more traditional” campaign. "You still need a consistent message and message discipline," Halperin added. "And part of the challenge of managing Donald Trump is he goes out on the campaign trail, rarely did Paul Manafort travel with him, where he doesn't really carry a cell phone that he uses regularly, doesn't have email, and says whatever he wants." Then- Washington Post blogger Chris Cillizza may likewise look with regret on the following paragraph from last year: Donald Trump is not a dumb man. He didn't get to where he is — in this presidential race and in life generally -- by not grasping when things are slipping away from him and making the necessary changes to correct the problem. That's exactly what Trump did Thursday afternoon when he announced that Paul Manafort, an old political hand not previously affiliated with the real estate mogul's campaign, would serve as "convention manager" … Then there are the lobbyists, former lawmakers, and other influence peddlers. They were quite pleased last year when Manafort, who plead "not guilty" Monday afternoon to the charges brought against him, agreed to take control of the Trump campaign. GOP strategist Scott Reed, for example, boasted to the Washington Post in 2016 that Manafort would, “be a major influence on Trump.” “They’re close in age, so Trump doesn’t look to him like he’s some kid. He brings a level of professionalism to the Trump operation at an important time because they have to pivot from being this band of merry campaigners that fly around to actually grinding out a convention where every delegate matters,” he said. GOP strategist and former Manafort business partner Charlie Black said likewise that, "he has taken on a tough task, but certainly it’s a good decision for Trump.” Lobbyist Vin Weber also said in reference to the Trump announcement last year that, “This is one of the most impressive things I’ve seen the Trump organization do. Maybe the only impressive thing.” “Paul has been involved in internal Republican politics for almost all of his adult life,” added Weber, who is also a friend of Manafort. “He’s one of the true first-rate professionals in the Republican Party. There’s only a handful of people, I really mean that that can honestly say they know how a national convention works. He’s one of them.” Nicholas Panuzio, who the Hartford Courant describes as “the former Republican mayor of Bridgeport who served at the same time that Manafort's father was the Republican mayor in New Britain,” also hailed the Trump campaign announcement last year. "Paul is a strategic planning person, and he's been given charge by Trump to do the strategic planning," said Panuzio, whose failed gubernatorial campaign in 1972 employed Paul Manafort. "Donald Trump, for whatever warts he may have, hires top-flight people. And Donald Trump delegates authority." Lobbyist Patrick Sullivan said basically the same thing. "Manafort's the right guy for this," he said. "He's got the rare blend of strategic sense and detail. Trump is a very, very strong personality. In order to deal with a person like Trump, you've got to have all the requisite skills because you've got to instill confidence." ''You've got to get that person to trust you, and that apparently has taken place,” he added. Indeed. Mark my words: Now that Manafort has turned himself over to the FBI, many of these same people will do their best to distance themselves from his stink. They may even try to downplay Manafort’s role in getting Trump to the White House. Don't let yourself be fooled by revisionism. |
Why not explore the Worlds of Big Finish? Our week of special offers on characters from The Worlds of Big Finish wraps up with Bernice Summerfield! Return to the very beginnings of Big Finish, with our very own Professor Bernice Summerfield. Adapted from the Virgin New Adventures of Doctor Who, and brought to life by Lisa Bowerman. During the last 19 years, Benny has travelled far and wide through this universe and recently even further afield, with a very different Doctor… This weekend, you can save 40% on any of our audio Bernice Summerfield releases by entering offer code BENNY17 at checkout. As well as Benny single release stories and box sets, the offer also includes Main Range titles featuring Bernice (The Shadow of the Scourge, Dark Flame and The Company of Friends), as well as five Novel Adaptations including Love and War, and Bernice Summerfield and the Criminal Code from The Companion Chronicles range. Please note that our charity anthology Many Happy Returns is excluded from this deal, as is forthcoming The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield: Ruler of the Universe, which is available to preorder at the £20 on download and £23 on CD. And although our code cannot be applied to the Bernice Summerfield fiction book range, you can explore her adventures in print at permanently discounted prices, and Bernice Summerfield - The Inside Story has been reduced to just £10 for the duration of the offer. This offer code expires at 23:59 (UK time) on 26th June, so you'll need to move fast! If you haven't tried all these characters yet, why not try them all with The Worlds of Big Finish? From the streets of Edwardian London to the corridors of a near-infinite library in the distant future, a single book holds the key to the fate of life on Earth. Some believe it predicts our future – and the apocalypse - with unnerving accuracy. Others will stop at nothing to destroy it, and will chase it from one side of the universe to the other; from a country house in the Roaring Twenties to the casinos of Mars, and from 221B Baker Street to the terrifying desert world of Sisyphus IX… Starring a whole host of Big Finish characters, why not try them all? This release, written by David Llewellyn and directed by Scott Handcock, is available all this week for £15 on CD or £12 on download. This price offer will end on the 26th June, so make sure you take advantage of this opportunity to get acquainted with our Big Finish family of fantastic characters. |
Kirk Alyn (born John Feggo Jr., October 8, 1910 – March 14, 1999) was an American actor, best known for being the first actor to play the DC Comics character Superman in live-action for the 1948 movie serial Superman and its 1950 sequel Atom Man vs. Superman, as well as Blackhawk from the Blackhawk movie serial in 1952, and General Sam Lane in 1978's Superman: The Movie.[1][2] Early life [ edit ] Kirk Alyn was born as John Feggo Jr. on October 8, 1910 in Oxford, New Jersey, to Hungarian immigrant parents.[1][2][3] In his youth he lived in Wharton, New Jersey. A plaque commemorating his life in the borough is hung in the municipal building. Career [ edit ] Alyn started as a chorus boy for Broadway plays, appearing in notable musicals such as Girl Crazy, Of Thee I Sing, and Hellzapoppin' during the 1930s. The Trap (1946). Alyn (right) in the film(1946). He also worked as a singer and dancer in vaudeville before relocating to Hollywood during the early 1940s to act for feature movies, but he was successful only in gaining bit parts for low-budget movies before obtaining the role of Superman in 1948.[4] During World War II he served in the United States Navy. Alyn also featured in movie serials, including Federal Agents Vs. Underworld Inc. (1948), Radar Patrol Vs. Spy King (1950) and Blackhawk (1952). Alyn recalls the day producer Sam Katzman asked him to play Superman: I thought it was a publicity stunt. I didn't think you could ever put Superman on film. They brought the people from D.C. Comics [sic] over and they said, 'Hey, he looks just like Clark Kent.' They said take off your shirt, so I did and flexed my muscles. Then the guy said, 'Take off your pants' and I said, 'Wait a minute.' I was 37 when I played Superman. I picked up that girl and ran up that flight of stairs like it was nothing."[1] Alyn played Superman for the first live-action Superman movie serial, released in 1948.[1] The serial consisted of 15 episodes which recounted Superman’s arrival on Earth, getting a job as a reporter at the Daily Planet newspaper, and meeting Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. The main plot consisted of Superman’s battle against the arch criminal the Spider Lady. Two years later, Atom Man vs. Superman was released, featuring Lyle Talbot as Superman’s arch-villain Lex Luthor. This serial also included a sequence involving an eerie alternate dimension, not unlike the Phantom Zone, which would not appear in the comics for another 11 years. Alyn gave the Man of Steel a different portrayal to Clark Kent, adding to the element of disguise. This was in the tradition of radio's Superman, Bud Collyer. By contrast, his successor George Reeves played the dual roles more alike, as pointed out in Gary Grossman's book, Superman: Serial to Cereal. The character's flight was effected by having Alyn jump up, at which point he becomes represented by an animated character by way of rotoscoping, which flew away. Alyn had tried "flying" while suspended by hidden wires for the first serial but the wires turned out to be clearly visible and that footage was scrapped.[citation needed]) After playing Superman, he again suffered casting problems. Apart from featuring in some similar comic book-type serials, he had few roles in television series and movies, some even uncredited, until he retired. Alyn was reportedly offered the part of Superman for the television version of 1951, but refused it. In 1971, he published an autobiography entitled A Job for Superman.[citation needed] Alyn shared a very brief cameo with his serial co-star, Noel Neill, as Sam and Ellen Lane, the parents of the young Lois Lane for the 1978 feature movie, Superman. In a brief on-set interview, he explains his method of portraying Superman and Clark Kent, contained in a documentary narrated by Ernie Anderson, The Making of Superman: The Movie (1978). In 1981, Alyn appeared as "Pa Cant" in the parody movie Superbman: The Other Movie, a role that lasted only seconds, as Cant dies from heart failure immediately after discovering the strange visitor from the planet "Krapton". Alyn made his final movie, the horror movie Scalps, In 1983. In 1988, he participated in the 1988 TV special Superman 50th Anniversary Special as himself. Personal life [ edit ] When he first went to Hollywood, Alyn met another dancer and actress, Virginia O'Brien. They were married in 1942, and had three children: daughters Terri O'Brien and Elizabeth Watkins, and son John Feggo III.[3][5] They were divorced in 1955.[3][6] Death [ edit ] Alyn died on March 14, 1999 in The Woodlands, Texas, at the age of 88 from Alzheimer's disease.[1][2] He was cremated. His ashes were scattered off the coast of California. Honors [ edit ] Alyn was the Grand Marshal of the Metropolis, Illinois Christmas parade and Annual Superman Celebrations several times. In 1985, DC Comics named Alyn as one of the honorees in the company's 50th anniversary publication Fifty Who Made DC Great.[7] Filmography [ edit ] References [ edit ] Bibliography [ edit ] |
Sydney FC marquee striker Bobo is understood to be close to securing his future with the club, having agreed in principle to sign a new contract for next season. Fairfax Media understands the Brazilian striker is happy to remain with Sydney for another season and while contract talks will be finalised after the season is completed, Bobo has already indicated his willingness to accept a new offer from the club. The 32-year-old former Besiktas, Gremio and Corinthians centre-forward is enjoying a strong finish to his first season in the A-League having struck 15 goals already for Sydney FC, becoming their second-highest goal scorer for a single season. Sydney are determined to keep him as their marquee for a second year after his impressive role in their march towards the A-League premiership and Bobo is set to accept their offer, which will formally be signed off before the players go on their end-of-season break. Bobo is set to play his first A-League finals game when Sydney FC host Perth Glory at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night and has no concerns over the Western Australians' overly physical style of defending. Their central defender Dino Djulbic was inspiring with a commanding yet rigorous performance in their 2-0 elimination finals victory over Melbourne City last week. Bobo says he's accustomed to being marked by defenders of Djulbic's style and holds no fears of the physicality of the A-League, having spent nine seasons playing in the notoriously rough Turkish Super Lig. |
The trilateral meeting between leaders from Israel, Greece and the Republic of Cyprus put pressure on Turkey to reach a diplomatic breakthrough with Israel, Gallia Lindenstrauss, a researcher with the Institute for National Security Studies, told The Algemeiner on Friday. “In the short term, however, I think that the scheduled tri-party meeting in Cyprus was an impetus for the Turkish side to try and reach a breakthrough with Israel,” before Israel concludes its agreements with Cyprus and Greece, said Lindenstrauss, whose focus is on the eastern Mediterranean region. Relations between Jerusalem and Ankara broke down after the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident. Recent reports suggested the two countries were close to rapprochement. Lindenstrauss said that while improvement in relations between Israel, Greece and the Republic of Cyprus are commonly seen as the “flip side of the deterioration of Turkish-Israeli relations” — a zero-sum situation, she said — the future of the region rests heavily on finishing up peace talks in Cyprus. “A solution in Cyprus could be a game changer and make the prospect of Israeli export of natural gas to Turkey and even to Europe much more feasible,” said Lindenstrauss. “The pipeline through Cyprus to Greece is much more expensive to build than the one to Turkey, so maybe it is anyhow not feasible [to build the pipeline through Cyprus and Greece] regardless of if there is progress” between Israel and Turkey, she added. She noted that Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon’s statements earlier this week in Greece regarding Turkish purchases of oil from the Islamic State were “not constructive in this stage of [Israeli-Turkish] negotiations, since this was in Turkish eyes basically a repetition of the Russian harsh rhetoric against Turkey following the downing of a Russian jet” back in November. But regardless of how the trilateral agreements affect relations with Turkey, she said, they could also prove beneficial for their own sake — such as if plans for connecting Israel to the European power grid through Cyprus and Greece end up going through. |
Photo: John Rogers/University of Illionis at Urbana-Champaign Advertisement Editor’s Picks A Temporary Tattoo That Senses Through Your Skin Five days. That’s how long intracranial pressure and temperature typically need to be monitored in the case of traumatic brain injury. And that’s at least how long flexible, dissolvable sensors created by a research team at the University of Illinois led by professor John Rogers will operate accurately. I met Rogers a year ago, interested in the temporary tattoos and other flexible electronics patches he’d been developing that were designed to be so similar to the skin that you could wear them for days without noticing them. Though the majority of his scientists and engineers were involved in making sensors and transmitters as stretchable as his lab’s serpentine silicon circuits, Rogers clearly had his eye on the horizon. In particular, he was after electronics structures that could be implanted seamlessly in the brain or on or around other organs. These sensing, communicating devices would need to have new geometries and new properties to fit in with the complex structures of the body without compromising them. [For the full story see “A Temporary Tattoo That Senses Through Your Skin”.] Today, Rogers released news of his latest breakthrough in silicon biocompatible circuitry: pressure and temperature monitors, intended to be implanted in the brain, that completely dissolve within a few weeks. The news, published as a research letter in the journal Nature, described a demonstration of the devices in rats, using soluble wires to transmit the signals, as well as the demonstration of a wireless version, though the data transmission circuit, at this point, is not completely resorbable. The technology, the Nature letter reports, can be adapted to sense fluid flow, motion, pH, and other parameters, and could be implanted in the heart, other organs, or in the skin. Photo: John Rogers/University of Illionis at Urbana-Champaign The team at the University of Illinois built what are essentially microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) out of a membrane of polylactic-co-glycolic acid, a biodegradable polymer common in medical applications such as dissolvable stitches. This membrane sits on a substrate of nanoporous silicon or a metal foil. The foil is etched with trenches that create an air cavity, allowing the membrane to deflect in response to pressure changes in the surrounding fluid. A piezoresistive element constructed from Rogers’ classic stretchable serpentine coils detects the changes. The structure is stable for at least five days, but completely dissolves after three weeks in the body. Rogers expects the neurosurgeons at Washington University in St. Louis who are testing the device in rats to move into more extensive studies with larger animals; human trials could begin in perhaps five years. Meanwhile, Rogers hopes to continue to improve the technology, pushing its useful life to four weeks before the devices are significantly resorbed. But next up for Rogers and his team: resorbable devices that go beyond sensing to actively help in treatment. For example, Rogers hopes to build a resorbable device that could electrically stimulate damaged nerves to accelerate the healing, as well as programmable devices that could release timed doses of drugs. |
In an unprecedented move, 13 Bihar toppers appeared for re-examination to secure their position as toppers barring Ruby Rai, the Arts topper who opted to skip the examination. The Bihar School Examination Board had convened re-examination of Science and Arts stream toppers on Friday after an India Today expose showed how the toppers of Arts and Science, Ruby Rai and Saurabh Shrestha, respectively, were clueless about their subjects in which they had topped. Ruby Rai's family members who on Thursday had expressed inability of Ruby appearing for re-examination on Friday submitted an application to the Chairman of the Bihar School Examination Board, Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh seeking exemption from the exams on health grounds. The Deputy Director, Nand Kishore Yadav of Bishun Rai College of which Ruby and Saurabh are students said that post the expose, Ruby was depressed and her mental condition was not fit to undertake the examination. Nand Kishore Yadav said, "Ruby is undergoing treatment outside Bihar as she is mentally depressed. We have given application to the Board that Ruby would appear in examination only after she is healthy". On the other hand, 13 toppers including Saurabh Shrestha appeared for the examination which lasted almost six hours during which two students at a time were interviewed by the team of 15 expert professors and teachers separately. According to information with India Today, the students were asked 25 questions each relating to their stream and also asked to write a small paragraph to cross check their handwriting with the handwriting in the answer sheets. The Chairman of the Board said that once the re-examination was over, the Board would be sending the report of their finding to the Bihar govt for further action. "Experts from Patna and Magadh University have been called to examine the toppers. Once the exams are over, we will send our report to the state govt", said Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh. As the toppers got over with their re-examination, their hurriedly rushed out of the Board office premises to escape the media. Saurabh Shrestha, the Science topper along with his father Ajay Singh too tried to make his way outside the Board campus but the media chased him with flurry of questions. An embarrassed Saurabh, however, said that his re-examination had gone well and truth would be out soon. "My re-examination had gone well. The truth will be out soon", said Saurabh. As a red faced Bihar govt conducted re-examination as a damage control after India Today's expose, all eyes are on the finding of the re-examination and also what will be the next move of the Bihar govt as far as Ruby Rai is concerned, whether she would be given another chance to appear for the exams or whether the govt chooses to cancel her result. The question is also whether the State govt will act on Bishun Rai college which had earned the dubious distinction of producing topper for last one decade repeatedly. ALSO READ: Clueless Bihar toppers unsure to sit for re-exam after India Today expose |
The Dane wants to remain at Renault next season and had been hoping that the French car manufacturer would confirm its intentions before the end of this month. But after team principal Fred Vasseur said last week that a decision on drivers was delayed – with previous targets Sergio Perez, Stoffel Vandoorne and Valtteri Bottas all likely unavailable – the situation is no longer as clear. Speaking at the Singapore Grand Prix, Magnussen said that reports he had issued an ultimatum to Renault to decide by the end of this month were "not necessarily true". However, he admitted that there was an element of frustration that matters were dragging on – as at some point he would need to start looking at options elsewhere. "I don't know what is going on behind the scenes," explained the Dane. "I have read in the press that there has been a delay and that the decision could take a long time. Yes, it is [frustrating]. "I was hoping for a decision between these two races, but clearly it hasn't come and things are taking longer than I had hoped for. I would be a bit more relaxed if that was the case but that is not what I have. So anyway, that is how it is." Magnussen insisted that there was no reason for him to be worried about the ongoing delay in finding out what was happening, but said that life would be easier if he knew. "It is not too bad," he explained. "I feel quite relaxed about it, even though my future is uncertain I feel quite relaxed. I can't do any more than I am doing. I do my best and if that is not good enough then so be it. "Hopefully there will be a decision at some point, otherwise I will take it. I am a racing driver and I need to race. I can't wait around until one week before the first test. That is not an option for me. We will see what happens." Vasseur has been clear that he wants drivers to be a focal point of motivation for team members, and there have been suggestions he is not convinced that Magnussen delivers enough to be a team leader. But Magnussen said he had spoken to Vasseur about the job he was doing, and said there had been no suggestion his attitude was wrong. "I have asked him and he told me, 'I cannot complain'. Whether that is true or not. I don't know. I am doing my best, and I feel like I am on top of my game. I don't feel there is a lot more I can do. "Whatever it will be I can say that I have done my best and hopefully that is good enough. But I don't know what is holding back the decision. We will see what happens." |
Welcome to the Seattle Police Department’s Tweets By Beat page. The Seattle Police Department is making it easier than ever before for you to find out about crime happening in your neighborhood. With Tweets by Beat, you can follow or view a Twitter feed of police dispatches in each of Seattle’s 51 police beats, and find out about the flashing lights and sirens on your block. In order to protect crime victims, officers, and the integrity of investigations, calls will display one hour after a dispatcher sends the call to an officer. The feeds also do not include information about domestic violence calls, sexual assaults, and other certain types of crimes. FIND YOUR PRECINCT AND BEAT: Simply use the address bar below to lookup the police beat you live or work in, and then follow it on Twitter or bookmark it to view it online. |
A federal judge in Asheville, North Carolina, sentenced a 21-year-old man, Justin Sullivan, to life in prison for plotting an ISIS-like attack on America. Court documents indicated Sullivan wanted to unveil an “Islamic State of North America” by attacking a concert or club and killing hundreds. The Charlotte Observer has the story (thanks to Jihad Watch): “Sullivan showed no reaction as U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger handed down his sentence. He stood silently in a brown inmate jumpsuit, his left shoulder slouched. … “During rambling, muffled remarks to the judge, Sullivan told Reidinger he was not ‘a cold-blooded killer.’ “During a news conference afterward, U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose gave her response. ‘I believe the facts prove otherwise.’ “Sullivan’s sentence was part of an agreement that led to his guilty plea last November to one count of planning a terrorist act transcending national borders. “As he left the courtroom, the pale, mustached defendant turned and cast a quick glance toward his parents, who sat a few rows behind him. Rich Sullivan, a retired Marine captain, responded with a small wave. “It was a Rich Sullivan phone call in the spring of 2015 that first alerted authorities to his son’s possible ties to the Islamic State, a worldwide terrorist group commonly known as ISIS or ISIL. A few months later, Justin Sullivan offered to pay an undercover FBI agent posing as an ISIS sympathizer to have his parents killed out of fear that they would thwart his plans. “Throughout the two-hour hearing, Rich and Eleanor Sullivan dabbed their eyes with handkerchiefs as their son’s fate unfolded before them. “Afterward, Rich Sullivan discussed the difficulty of balancing blood and country. “‘As parents, we’re not happy,’ said Sullivan, wearing a Marine lapel pin on his dark blue suit, his eyes reddened by tears. ‘As Americans, we accept what just happened.'” Sullivan plotted the attack two years ago. As News 13, the local ABC affiliate reported, court files indicate he had researched how to manufacture silencers for firearms and had asked an undercover FBI agent to actually build him some silencers. The Truth Must be Told Your contribution supports independent journalism Please take a moment to consider this. Now, more than ever, people are reading Geller Report for news they won't get anywhere else. But advertising revenues have all but disappeared. Google Adsense is the online advertising monopoly and they have banned us. Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter have blocked and shadow-banned our accounts. But we won't put up a paywall. Because never has the free world needed independent journalism more. Everyone who reads our reporting knows the Geller Report covers the news the media won't. We cannot do our ground-breaking report without your support. We must continue to report on the global jihad and the left's war on freedom. Our readers’ contributions make that possible. Geller Report's independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our work is critical in the fight for freedom and because it is your fight, too. Please contribute to our ground-breaking work here. Make a monthly commitment to support The Geller Report – choose the option that suits you best. Contribute Monthly - Choose One Subscriber : $18.00 USD - monthly Contributor : $36.00 USD - monthly Patron : $50.00 USD - monthly Silver member : $100.00 USD - monthly Gold member : $250.00 USD - monthly Platinum member : $500.00 USD - monthly |
If you want to know the definition of the word tenacity, you need look no further than current Ring of Honor World Champion Michael Elgin. The Unbreakable one has it in spades, and his four year campaign for the belt is ample proof. Elgin can match strength with any big man in the business, and has the gas tank as well as the athletic ability to move around the ring like a cruiserweight. For lack of a better term, Michael Elgin is one scary dude. Elgin had brief appearances in ROH in both 2007, and 2008, before he made his main roster debut for the company at Survival of the Fittest 2010. Elgin was billed as the no nonsense enforcer for Truth Martini’s House of Truth faction alongside Roderick Strong and Zach Gowen. The following year Elgin entered and won The Survival of the Fittest 2011 tournament, securing his first ROH World Title shot at then champion Davey Richards. Although unsuccessful in his first attempt to become champion, Elgin’s match with Richards at Showdown in the Sun was a spectacular five star outing that left both men physically spent, and the crowd emotionally drained from the rollercoaster ride. Afterwards, Davey Richards took the opportunity to compliment his opponent on the match, and assured him that one day he would in fact hold the title. In September of 2012, Elgin turned from the House of Truth after dealing out a savage beating to Roderick Strong. The following month Unbreakable again challenged for the ROH World Title, this time coming up short against Kevin Steen in yet another highly regarded match. At Supercard of Honor VII, Elgin secured what looked to be his third title shot, winning a number one contenders match against the always tough Jay Lethal. Unfortunately for Elgin, champion Jay Briscoe was stripped of his title due to injury. Instead of accepting the title via forfeit, Elgin opted instead to enter a tournament for the vacant strap. After besting Paul London, Karl Anderson, and Kevin Steen on his way to the finals, Elgin eventually lost a razor close match to Adam Cole in his second bout of the night at Death Before Dishonor XI. Undaunted, Elgin continued his crusade for ROH gold, earning his fourth crack at the belt after pinning Cole in an amazing, back-and-fourth, four-on-four elimination tag match. Closing out the year at Final Battle 2013, it looked as though Elgin’s time had finally come, but he ultimately fell to Cole un a three-way match, in which a now healthy Jay Briscoe also competed. The two title losses to Adam Cole not only lit a spark under Elgin, but also added fuel to the fire of that already heated rivalry. After having his trademark mullet shaved off, and his sweetheart MsChif attacked by Cole, Elgin would finally get his revenge. At Ring of Honor’s first live broadcast PPV event, Best in the World 2014, with some backup from rising tag team War Machine and MisChif, Elgin’s dream became reality when a viscous series of Elgin bombs ended Adam Cole’s 275 day reign as ROH champion. With sheer determination, grit, and dogged persistence, Elgin pursued the title, never losing focus, always forging ahead. That sort of tenacity has become a calling card for all of ROH’s most elite champions over the years, the sort of tenacity that any true fan of the sport can genuinely appreciate. Although he has repeatedly shown than he is amongst the best of the world in professional wrestling, Elgin’s stock can only rise higher from here. Michael Elgin will defend his Ring of Honor World Title on Saturday, August 9th, against Cedric Alexander at the National Guard Armory in Philidelphia, Pa. And while Cedric Alexander himself has the makings to one day be a future champion, I don’t see anyone ripping the title from Elgin’s Unbreakable grasp anytime soon. RUN IN by @AaronWrotkowski I first saw Michael Elgin wrestle in Windsor, Ontario, Canada around 2006. He couldn’t have been much older than 18 years old at the time. He was a hefty kid who definitely showed a lot of talent back then. I had the… pleasure to see him wrestle Phil Atlas in a Bedpan Match at Sin City Wrestling, a promotion I volunteered in. Even with such a ridiculous gimmick, Atlas and Elgin worked their asses off for a small audience in a low ceiling bar. I followed his career since, from being the Canadian Crazyhorse to his first shot in Ring of Honor. He was one of the top Ontario independent talent and it killed me prior to him becoming an ROH regular as to why Ontario talent couldn’t get shots. Elgin, Shawn Spears, Tyson Dux, Josh Alexander, all of these guys were better than the average worker in WWE, TNA or ROH but just couldn’t get their chance. Soon Mike Elgin became a mainstay in ROH and Shawn Spears went back to WWE as Tye Dillinger. Just this past week Josh Alexander and E.G.O. made their ROH TV debut. And in an upcoming ROH Television taping you’re going to see Tyson Dux watch Mike Elgin’s back. One must wonder if that’s Mike Elgin not only shattering the glass ceiling in ROH, but opening a door for Ontario independent talent to finally shine on the big stage of ROH. If anything he’s a testament to starting from the bottom and working to the top. It doesn’t matter if you worked a bedpan match or wore a Teletubby costume. You can still become a World champion. photo credit: Anton Jackson via photopin cc Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @DBlacker217. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page. For the latest sports injury news, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert. |
The ex-boyfriend of a Surrey, B.C., teen gunned down last year has been charged in connection with her death, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team announced Saturday. Maple Batalia, 19, was shot in a parking lot at SFU’s Surrey campus on Sept. 28, 2011. Gurjinder "Gary" Dhaliwal, 20, has been charged with first-degree murder. Gursimar Bedi, 22, has been charged with manslaughter, using a firearm and being an accessory after the fact. Both were arrested Friday evening and remain in police custody. They are both scheduled to appear in court on Monday. Batalia's sister Roseleen said the news is "bittersweet." "It was definitely a long wait, but it was worth the wait," she said. "Hopefully we'll get some sort of closure out of this ... We won't get her back, but it definitely will help in the healing process. We can finally start to grieve." Police declined release the details of the investigation, but said no one thing led to the arrests. |
Recently I was leading friend and fellow-writer Seth Mnookin through the Natural History Museum of Utah’s prehistoric exhibits when he asked a question that has popped up in my own mind from time to time–why is Tyrannosaurus rex so popular? There were stranger carnivores, and journalists love to delight in the announcements that slightly bigger theropods have dethroned the tyrant king. Yet T. rex remains the quintessential dinosaur. Part of the secret, I think, is cultural inertia. Paleontologist Henry Fairfield Osborn named Tyrannosaurus rex in 1906, during a time when paleontologists were still dealing with a bare bones outline of what dinosaurs were like. Very few species were known from partial skeletons, much less complete ones, but Osborn’s field man Barnum Brown discovered two exquisite T. rex skeletons in rapid succession. The massive carnivore burst onto the scene as the largest carnivorous dinosaur ever found, and the second, more complete skeleton Brown discovered was quickly turned into an iconic mount that inspired many generations of paleontologists. T. rex remained unchallenged until the mid-1990s. After nearly a century at the top, it was impossible to knock down the heavyweight. No museum display was complete with at least a T. rex tooth, if not a cast of a skeleton, and films such as King Kong and Jurassic Park underscored the savage power of the dinosaur. From the time of its discovery, we have celebrated T. rex as the acme of destructive dinosaurian power. The dinosaur so dominated the cultural landscape that it overshadows all others. But, as Seth pointed out while I laid out this hypothesis, the dinosaur’s reputation is fully deserved. Some giant carnivores might have been a little longer or heavier–we don’t really know, since they’re not known as completely as T. rex–but there is no question that T. rex was among the top four gargantuan dinosaur predators and the biggest meat-eater in its Late Cretaceous ecosystem. Even though our general image of the tyrant has changed, from changes in posture to the addition of fuzz, T. rex has remained the biggest and baddest dinosaur from America’s badlands. The reputation of T. rex has not been diminished. To the contrary, the more we learn about the paleobiology of the theropod, the more fearsome T. rex becomes. And to that, I say “Long live the king!” |
Earlier this week, Twitter announced they would be doing an ‘alt-right’ purge, in essence removing thousands of so-called extreme accounts from the right. The reaction has been mixed, some relieved this element would no longer be on Twitter and some concerned that a company banning a person based on affiliation rather than behavior was problematic. James Woods falls into the latter category, and has decided to leave Twitter: Since @Twitter is now in the #censorship business, I will no longer use its service for my constitutional right to free speech. #GoodbyeAll pic.twitter.com/bismJDb3wh — James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) November 18, 2016 Woods has had a fairly successful run as a politically active member of Hollywood on Twitter, with 483k followers. Unlike many of his famous counterparts though, he has been outspoken against the Obama administration, Hillary Clinton during the election and has a more conservative slant to his tweets. .@RealJamesWoods I can think of at least 482,600 people that are sad about that. I wish you would stay and stand up to @twitter — Deplored BS Detector (@53percenter2012) November 18, 2016 Seems Twitter believes only people of a certain political persuasion say and tweet horrible things, you don’t see them going after the Left or Leftist groups based on affiliation. @RealJamesWoods Sad to see this. And I wonder if @twitter will ever censor left-wing abusers. There's no shortage. — Your Name Here (@corrcomm) November 18, 2016 Can you IMAGINE the outrage if Twitter decided to ban all accounts associated with Black Lives Matter? Or the SJW’s? Endless screeching and fist-shaking, but since this is a group supposedly linked to the right, eh. Not the smartest way to run a business, Jack. #JustSayin’ |
Federal agents now are investigating the weekend assault on Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in which he sustained several broken ribs. The attack – allegedly by a politically opposed neighbor – could prompt the filing of federal charges, because the target was a federal official. Talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh says it’s just the latest example of the left “encouraging this kind of activity.” Authorities said on Monday that the neighbor, Rene Boucher, “may soon face more serious criminal charges because the Kentucky Republican is suffering from several rib injuries,” the Washington Post reported. Trooper Jeremy Hodges of the Kentucky State Police said new information about the extent of the senator’s injuries could result in a felony being filed against Boucher. The senator, who was a GOP presidential candidate early in the 2016 race, reportedly was attacked by the 59-year-old Boucher outside his home in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Boucher initially was charged with fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor. The senator’s office later confirmed he had five rib fractures and lung contusions, and his recovery will be a matter of months. Understand what makes a liberal tick. “The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness,” by Dr. Lyle Rossiter explains it all. Hodges said that because of the severity of the injuries, authorities may reconsider a misdemeanor count. “It requires serious physical injury in order for someone to be charged with a felony,” Hodges said. “Our arresting officer will submit his completed case report and then the prosecutors will make a decision about whether to upgrade those charges.” Rush Limbaugh noted the senator was “out mowing his yard.” “By the way, how many other senators do you think mow their own lawns? Anyway, there he was. He’s out there mowing his yard and he was attacked” he said. Limbaugh pointed out other instances of leftist violence. “This Looney Toon guy that shot up the congressional baseball practice that nearly killed Steve Scalise. We have this Texas shooter who’s obviously an oddball. Now this guy attacked Rand Paul, and then there’s a story: ‘Keeping Scott Pruitt Safe.’ Scott Pruitt is, of course, the EPA administrator. Since Scott Pruitt got there and has been implementing the Donald Trump anti-climate change agenda and bringing coal back to the American forefront in terms of energy production – basically focusing on fossil fuels and fracking and ignoring and shredding the Obama Regime’s climate change rules … I mean, the security detail that is needed for Scott Pruitt would blow your mind.” He continued: “We’ve had a violent attack on a Republican senator in his own yard by a leftist neighbor. This horrible shooting in Texas at the church. We had this shooting in New York City via the Diversity Visa Program, and now we have the Scott Pruitt story from the Wall Street Journal. This actually was from November 1st.” He explained: “It is more than obvious that the left is encouraging their followers to be vile, aggressive, abusive, and dangerous. There’s no question about it. The left is encouraging this kind of activity. They are promoting it and they celebrate it! I don’t care whether you see it in Baltimore, whether you see it in Ferguson, Missouri. Wherever you see a public riot, wherever you see any public riot with violence in response to Trump, all of this is applauded. And in the drive-by media, while it may not all be applauded, it is certainly treated with respect.” Terrorists, he warned, “do not always just come from Uzbekistan.” “Sometimes terrorists come straight from the Democrat Party, straight from the American left – and, worse, the Democrats then try to suggest that it is wasting money. That’s what they’re say with Scott Pruitt, wasting money trying to protect himself from their constituents. But the encourage this! The vile, repulsive, just raw rage and anger that is on display daily on social media is infectious. You know something else? I’ve referenced this before, and I’m gonna mention it again. I am seeing – and it isn’t new.” He said the number of attacks is rising. “It seems like a news story happens, no matter what it is, and the automatic – you know, journalism lives under a bunch of false, phony precepts. And one of them is that there must be both sides presented in every story, and in many cases both sides are presented, but it’s cockeyed, and it’s jaundiced, and it is prejudiced, and it’s formulaic. It’s almost like the pieces written are the result of cut-and-paste on the area here to include both sides.” The motive of the alleged assault by Boucher, a retired anesthesiologist, on the senator remained unclear Monday, authorities said. Paul reported to police Boucher had entered his property and tackled the senator from behind, “forcing him to the ground and causing him pain.” The police report said Boucher admitted the attack but didn’t offer an explanation. The Daily Caller cited Boucher’s registration as a Democrat. ABC reported a spokesperson for the senator said: “It is a pending, serious criminal matter involving state and federal authorities. We won’t have any further comments at this time.” NBC said the senator was mowing his yard, while wearing headphones, when Boucher allegedly attacked him. “The two men had not spoken in several years and a rift between the pair possibly stemmed from Boucher’s distaste for Paul’s politics, as well as those of his father, former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, a source said,” the report said. The report said another neighbor, Jim Skaggs, said the two were “as far left and right as you can be.” Understand what makes a liberal tick. “The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness,” by Dr. Lyle Rossiter explains it all. |
That HTC "Desire 8" you've been seeing lately? It's finally unveiled as the Desire 816, a "flagship mid-range" phone that promises to be competitively priced, while also offering LTE (for EMEA and Asia) and HSPA+ (up to 42 Mbps). This pretty phablet comes with a large 5.5-inch 720p display, a 1.6GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 SoC, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage (capacity may vary), microSD expansion of up to a staggering 128GB and a fixed 2,600mAh battery. You'll get a decent multimedia experience courtesy of the BoomSound frontal stereo speakers (with dedicated amplifiers), along with the 13-megapixel f/2.2 main camera (with Zoe mode in HTC Sense 5.5 UI) plus the 5-megapixel f/2.8 selfie camera. These are all tucked inside a 7.99mm-thick, 165g body, which is pretty good for the size. Interestingly, this will be the first HTC phone to take a nano-SIM, which may be able to lure a few iPhone 5c users. Ultimately, it's all about the price, and we should know very soon given the China launch next month (likely March 18th), followed by a global launch in April. Update: We now have some hands-on photos. Enjoy! |
A new 1 km trail has been constructed in Confederation Park that is the first project in what is proposed to be an $80-million facelift for the popular venue. “It’s been a construction area for quite some time,” said Ward 5 councillor Chad Collins who has championed the redevelopment of Confederation Park for years. “But it’s open to the public.” Contractors recently finished a 1 km new trail around the Stoney Creek Pond on the former campground site after nearly a year of work that will connect to the main Lake Ontario Trail system. About 80 per cent of the new trail was built on existing roadways within the park, while 20 per cent of the trail was constructed within the forest area. The new trail includes 350 metres that link up Confederation Drive north to the existing pedestrian bridge at the Hamilton Beach Trail; redeveloping the existing gravel maintenance road into an asphalt trail along the west shore of the Stoney Creek Pond (the road will still provide maintenance accessibility); asphalt improvements to 250 metres of Confederation Drive that connects the two new segments; improvements to the limestone foot-trail along the eastern shore of the Stoney Creek Pond and adding a connecting pathway to a new 40-square-metre accessible wood observation deck, just outside of the Natural Heritage System Boundary. Other features that were incorporated into the $560,000 project include a 160-square-metre turtle nesting area along the north-west corner of the Stoney Creek Pond. Signage has been installed to identify the nesting area for snapping turtles. There is also a 3,500-square-metre butterfly habitat area created in a meadow located to the north of Confederation Drive and east of the Stoney Creek Pond. A berm has also been eliminated to connect the North Service Road to Confederation Drive to improve access for construction vehicles. The access will eventually provide a new public entrance area to the proposed $7-million Sports Park Facility that is projected to be constructed on the former campground located at the eastern section of Confederation Park. The improvements to Confederation Park have been slow but steady since council approved the Confederation Park master plan in 2010. Collins has acknowledged there is limited funding available, but he still wants to see at least one of the recommendations in the master plan completed each year. Last year the city spent about $100,000 cutting down 76 old and diseased trees in the first capital project of the long-term redevelopment of the park around Stoney Creek Pond. About $76,000 had been set aside for replanting. The new trail system was a major part of re-making the 93-hectare Confederation Park, and a priority in the master plan. As stated in the document, one of the goals is to “strengthen and restore as closely as possible the original habitat first encountered when the area was first settled.” Collins has allocated about $3 million in the 2014 budget for the park. But that still leaves a sizable chunk of money still needed to build the $7-million sports park around the 5.8-hectare Stoney Creek Pond. The facility is projected to include a cricket pitch, two intermediate soccer fields that can be converted into junior cricket pitches, on-site parking, washrooms and new trees. |
Image: Getty Virgin Media has warned 800,000 customers using its Super Hub 2 router to change their passwords because a security vulnerability could expose their passwords to hackers, enabling attackers to gain control of other smart devices on the network. The company says that the risk of compromise is only minimal, but customers who haven't changed the default password displayed on a sticker attached to the router to change both that and their network password in order to protect against potential attacks. Virgin has advised Super Hub 2 users to switch to a "unique" password which should contain at least 12 characters using a mix of upper and lower case letters and numbers. The warning comes after an investigation by Which? and ethical hackers at SureCloud who found they could infiltrate Super Hub 2 and use it to access to other household connected devices including children's toys, internet connected IP cameras, smartlocks and more. Even Amazon Echo was found to have a vulnerability with regards to voice ordering, but it was hard to crack. A total of 15 devices were connected to a testing environment and researchers found vulnerabilities in eight of the fifteen devices, including the Super Hub 2 router, the gateway to all the devices within the environment. Ethical hackers say they were able to breach it within days. Researchers found that one CCTV camera had particularly poor security as it operates over the internet using a default administrator account with no password. Researchers say they found thousands of cameras with these vulnerabilities which can expose live feeds of people's homes to the internet, in come cases even allowing an attacker to pan and tilt the camera. However, Virgin Media, while noting the vulnerability, have pointed to this being an issue which exists of all routers of this age, but that the company, as well as issuing advice to change passwords, will be upgrading customers to a newer version of the router. "The security of our network and of our customers is of paramount importance to us. We continually upgrade our systems and equipment to ensure that we meet all current industry standards," said a Virgin Media spokesperson told ZDNet. "To the extent that technology allows this to be done, we regularly support our customers through advice and updates and offer them the chance to upgrade to a Hub 3.0 which contains additional security provisions." While the Internet of Things and connected devices can bring benefitss, consumers "should be aware that some of these appliances are vulnerable and offer little or no security" said Alex Neill, Which? Managing Director of Home Products and Services. "Manufacturers need to ensure that any smart product sold is secure by design," she added. Keen to grab a piece of the Internet of Things pie, many manufacturers continue to rush out connected devices without sufficient cybersecurity, failing to learn the security lessons of the past and potentially putting millions at risk from a catastrophic data breach. READ MORE ON CYBERCRIME |
Part of an enormous structure dating to the Crusader period (1099–1291 CE), which was a busy hospital, has currently been revealed to the public following excavations and research by the Israel Antiquities Authority. The building, owned by the Waqf, is situated in the heart of the Christian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem, in a region known as “Muristan” (a corruption of the Persian word for hospital), near David Street, the main road in the Old City. Until a decade or so ago the building served as a bustling and crowded fruit and vegetable market. Since then it stood there desolate. In the wake of the Grand Bazaar Company’s intention to renovate the market as a restaurant, the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted archaeological soundings there. The structure, only a small part of which was exposed in the excavation, seems to extend across an area of fifteen dunams! Its construction is characterized by massive pillars and ribbed vaults and it stands more than six meters high. The image we have is that of a great hall composed of pillars, rooms and smaller halls. According to Renee Forestany and Amit Re’em, the excavation directors on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “We’ve learned about the hospital from contemporary historical documents, most of which are written in Latin. These mention a sophisticated hospital that is as large and as organized as a modern hospital. The hospital was established and constructed by a Christian military order named the “Order of St. John of the Hospital in Jerusalem” and known by its Latin name the Hospitallers (from the word hospital). These righteous warriors took an oath to care for and watch over pilgrims, and when necessary they joined the ranks of the fighters as an elite unit. The hospital was comprised of different wings and departments according to the nature of the illness and the condition of the patient – similar to a modern hospital. In an emergency situation the hospital could accept as many as 2,000 patients. The Hospitallers treated sick men and women of different religions. There is information about Crusaders who ensured their Jewish patients received kosher food. All that notwithstanding, they were completely ignorant in all aspects of medicine and sanitation: an eyewitness of the period reports that a Crusader doctor amputated the leg of a warrior just because he had a small infected wound – needless to say the patient died. The Muslim Arab population was instrumental in assisting the Crusaders in establishing the hospital and teaching them medicine. Arab culture has always held the medical profession in high regard and Arab physicians were famous far and wide. In addition to the medical departments, the hospital also functioned as an orphanage where abandoned newborns were brought. Mothers who did not want their offspring would come there with covered heads and hand over their infants. In many instances when twins were born, one of them was given to the orphanage. The orphans were treated with great devotion and when they reached adulthood they served in the military order. We can learn about the size of the hospital from contemporary documents. One of the documents recounts an incident about a staff member who was irresponsible in the performance of his work in the hospital. That person was marched alongside the building awhile, and the rest of the staff, with whips in hand, formed a line behind him and beat him. This spectacle was witnessed by all of the patients. The Ayyubid ruler Saladin lived near the hospital following the defeat of the Crusaders, and he also renovated and maintained the structure. He permitted ten Crusader monks to continue to reside there and serve the population of Jerusalem. The building collapsed in an earthquake that struck in 1457 CE and was buried beneath its ruins, which is how it remained until the Ottoman period. In the Middle Ages parts of the structure were used as a stable and the bones of horses and camels were found in excavations, alongside an enormous amount of metal that was used in shoeing the animals. According to Monser Shwieki, the project manager, “The magnificent building will be integrated in a restaurant slated to be constructed there, and its patrons will be impressed by the enchanting atmosphere of the Middle Ages that prevails there”. Header Image Photograph credit: Yoli Shwartz Contributing Source : IAA HeritageDaily : Archaeology News : Archaeology Press Releases |
01 - Blossom Jewels (120 BPM) 02 - River Magic (101 BPM) 03 - Shining Star (85 BPM) 04 - This Is Love (104 BPM) Triple Drop Records proudly presents Perception Deception, an emotional piece of luxurious sonic wisdom by Wolfen Technologies (Tom Chant). With melodies soft as silk and tones to both settle or lift one’s spirits these compositions offer much for the mind to ponder: The universal understanding, the communication from one animal to another without the need of words, the same universal understanding and connection to the network of miracles and magic in nature that lay deep within our own minds, a delicate expansion of neurons and limitless fractal pathways of thought which allow the vast expansion of dreams, wishes and love for one another. Keep up to date with Tom’s music via SoundCloud. MP3 Download | FLAC Download | WAV Download · Download count: 4,623. Released under a Creative Commons license for noncommercial usage. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Be sure to activate Flash in your browser; it is usually disabled by default in Chrome and other modern browsers. |
The fee depends on if you want to: get your first full or provisional GB licence get a replacement if yours has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed change your name, address or photo renew a driving licence add, renew or remove an entitlement exchange a driving licence, for example exchange a paper licence for a photocard get your licence back after it’s been taken away, for example if you’ve been disqualified For applications by post, cheques and postal orders are payable to DVLA . The address depends on what you’re applying for. There are different driving licence fees in Northern Ireland. Get your first GB driving licence Type of licence Apply online Apply by post First provisional licence - car, motorcycle, moped £34 £43 First full driving licence after passing your driving test N/A Free - £17 to use a different photo from your provisional First full GB licence in exchange for a full European Community, European Economic Area or other designated foreign licence N/A £43 Replace a lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed licence This costs £20. You must replace your licence if it’s been lost, stolen, defaced or destroyed. Change the name, address or photo on your photocard driving licence The fee depends on what you’re changing and how you do it. What you’re changing Change online Change by post Address Free Free Name N/A Free Photo £14 £17 Photo and name at the same time N/A £17 Photo and address at the same time £14 £17 Renew a driving licence Photocard licences are valid for 10 years unless otherwise stated. You’ll get a reminder to renew your photo before your current licence ends. Reason for renewal Apply online Apply by post Renewing an expired driving licence £14 £17 You’re 70 or over Free Free You can also renew your expired licence at a Post Office, it costs £21.50. Renew a short-term medical driving licence You can renew your short-term medical driving licence for free. You can renew online if you have diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, a visual impairment, a sleep condition, or a heart condition. Add, renew or remove an entitlement Reason for change Apply online Apply by post Adding entitlement to full or provisional licence - for example, to drive a bus or lorry N/A Free Renew entitlement to drive a bus or lorry N/A Free Giving up entitlement to drive bus or lorry N/A Free You can also change a photo at the same time. It costs £17. Exchange a paper or non-GB driving licence What you’re exchanging Apply online Apply by post Paper licence for photocard with change of address Free Free Paper licence for photocard with change of name N/A Free Paper licence for photocard with no change of details £20 £20 Full Northern Ireland licence in exchange for a GB licence N/A Free Full European Community, European Economic Area or other designated foreign licence, if a previous GB licence held N/A Free Full European Community, European Economic Area or other designated foreign licence, if a previous GB licence not held N/A £43 Get your licence back after it’s been taken away The fee depends on why you had your licence taken away and how you got it back. |
Aloysius Schwartz, founder of the Sisters of Mary and Brothers of Christ, in a 1990 photo in the Philippines. He is being considered for sainthood. (FAMILY PHOTO) Although Aloysius Schwartz died 23 years ago, parishioners of the small Holy Name Catholic Church on 11th Street NE pray for him every Sunday, in hopes that they can one day call him a saint. He is known as “Father Al” and appears with a wide smile in the weekly bulletins spread among the pews where he grew up and decided to pursue the priesthood. “Father Al was special,” said Holy Name’s pastor, the Rev. Michael Briese. “A lot of good people have come through here, but he was really more than that.” Schwartz was a Roman Catholic missionary priest who helped house and educate thousands of poor children around the world before dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) at the age of 62. Now, he has completed the second of four steps needed for the holy title of “Saint.” So far, it has been a quick process, beginning in December, when he was named a “Servant of God” by the Vatican, which is vetting him for sainthood. A month later, Schwartz was named “Venerable,” a title the Vatican gives to those who lived with heroic virtue. The last two steps are less predictable. “We are just waiting for a miracle,” said Dolores Vita, Schwartz’s younger sister, who lives in Annapolis. For Schwartz to become a saint, two miracles must be attributed to him and recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. With the first, he would earn the title “Blessed.” A second, and he can be named a saint, unless the requirement is waived by the Pope. The miracles are said to give proof that the would-be saint is both in heaven and can bend God’s ear to certain prayers. “Saints are seen as people who are a little bit closer to God,” said the Rev. Michael Witczak, an associate professor at Catholic University who studies the saints. There are thousands of saints, some known globally and others known only to the communities that they affected. “The main reason we highlight saints today is because of the example that they give,” Witczak said. “When you look at all the various people who have been named saints, they really provide this vast mosaic of ways of being a saint. People who were wonderworkers and people who plowed fields, and everywhere in between.” Schwartz’s way was by helping the poor. Schwartz was born in the District in 1930. His parents, Cedelia and Louis Schwartz, raised their family in a tight-knit Catholic community whose cornerstone was Holy Name. Schwartz and his seven siblings lived in a small home down the street from the church. Vita said her brother had talked about becoming a priest since he was an altar boy. He studied theology at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, where he found direction for his priesthood. At a nearby shrine, he prayed with the Virgin of the Poor, another name for the Virgin Mary, represented by a blue-veiled statue. A replica of his inspiration arrived at Holy Name in early June, donated by Vita. “We thought it would be great to have her at Holy Name, where Father Al’s vocation began,” Vita said. “He always said that all praise, honor and glory goes to the Virgin of the Poor for any success he has accomplished.” That list of accomplishments is lengthy. Schwartz held 15 accolades internationally and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. After his schooling in the District and training for the priesthood in Belgium, Schwartz saw a great need in the wake of the Korean War, Vita said. The war had left many orphaned and poor children. He began his ministry in South Korea, where he founded orphanages, schools and hospitals for the poor. Schwartz established the Sisters of Mary and Brothers of Christ to help the needy. His organizations bloomed and now are found in the Philippines, Guatemala, Brazil and Mexico. Sister Elena Belarmino joined the Sisters of Mary in 1985, working with Schwartz to educate and care for the poor. The Sisters of Mary Schools have educated more than 107,000 students internationally. “He was so encouraging and had a way of developing the talent of each [student],” Belarmino wrote in an e-mail from the Philippines. “He deprived himself of comforts in order that the children and the poor he was helping would have the best service. He not only served the poor but, also, he lived as a poor priest.” Schwartz died in 1992, three years after his diagnosis. He had lost nearly all mobility before his death, using a wheelchair and struggling to dictate the final chapters of his autobiography, “Killing Me Softly: The Inspiring Story of a Champion of the Poor.” He is buried in the Philippines at the Sisters of Mary campus. “When we found out he was sick, we thought, ‘Oh, no, who is going to take over for him?’ We thought, ‘Who could do this enormous job?’ But instead of one person, really they all took over for him.” His load was spread among his followers, and Belarmino said the ministry is still growing. “For him to be named a saint would just put a big stamp of approval on the work that he did, and that is continuing with the sisters,” Vita said. Adonis Sulit, an alumnus who attended the Sisters of Mary School from 1988 to 1992, said Schwartz helped transform the area and the lives of children like him. “Father Al being a saint would encourage a lot of us to really follow the way he lived his life, the life of Christ,” Sulit wrote in an e-mail from the Philippines. The miracles still stand in the way of his sainthood. But Vita said he has already proven his worth. “If you ask me,” Vita said, “each one of the kids that leaves the program as a success is a miracle, but they don’t count that.” |
FALLDALE, Ind. – It’s been a few weeks since school started, but the freshmen at Benton University are still full of excitement about their upcoming college career. From classes and books to dorms and dinner, these college kids can’t wait to start making friends and debts that will last a lifetime. Brian Baker, a freshman Poli-Sci student, says that one of the things he’s most excited about is hanging out with his new roommate in the dorms. “We’re really going to make this a cool place to hang out. First thing we’re doing is setting up my Playstation 4 [purchased with money from student loans] in our [120% over market value] dorm room.” His roommate Joe Collins is excited about the room, too. Joe says he’s really looking forward to one day wishing he’d have the $12 back for his Bob Marley poster, so he could put it toward one-fifteenth of his monthly student loan. “Luckily,” Joe added, “the Kohl’s Cash® my mom and grandma gave me for graduation will go a long way toward my new comforter and microwaveable tupperware [but not the shriveled remnants of my self-worth when I later cry into the comforter as a broke 30-year-old living at home.]” But college isn’t just about hanging out. It’s about studying too, as 18-year-old Julie Evans will be the first to tell you. “I can’t wait to start my work study program. Working during the semester should almost completely cover the cost of my textbooks.” As Julie heads off to her first class of the day she adds, “What can I say? I’m forever in debt to my school!” |
A male snowy owl is shown after its capture at the Mosinee Airport. The bird was moved away from the airport to prevent collisions with aircraft and protect the animal. Credit: Richard Armstrong SHARE By of the A snowy owl in Oconto County is the first wild bird in Wisconsin to test positive for an avian flu strain that is sweeping through poultry farms in the Midwest, including operations in Wisconsin. The Department of Natural Resources reported late Thursday a single snowy owl — the largest owl by weight in North America — had died from the H5N2 avian influenza virus. The owl is one of 11 dead wild birds that have been tested for the virus in Wisconsin, agency officials said. Test results on all of the birds have not yet been completed, but the snowy owl is the only bird known to have died from the virus. Since April 13, the virus has been found on 10 Wisconsin farms in Barron, Chippewa, Jefferson and Juneau counties, bringing the total number of chickens and turkeys affected by the disease to nearly 1.8 million. The latest finding is significant because it marks the first time the disease has been detected outside a Wisconsin farm. The snowy owl was found dead in mid-April near a breakwater on Green Bay in the city of Oconto, according to Tami Ryan, wildlife health section chief for the DNR. The owl showed no outward appearance of poor health. A necropsy by the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison showed the bird had died from the virus. Ryan said authorities have no way of knowing how the owl contracted the virus. No poultry operations with the virus are near where the dead owl was found. In the Midwest, the H5N2 in wild bird populations has been rare. Since mid-December, federal authorities said, 59 wild birds are known to have been infected with highly infectious strains of avian influenza, including H5N2. The Wisconsin case would be the 60th. Most of the birds have been found in the western United States. The nearest discovery outside Wisconsin has been in Yellow Medicine County, Minn., where a Cooper's hawk tested positive on April 29, according to the National Wildlife Health Center. The hawk is believed to have eaten an infected bird, according to the health center. The agency said the positive test doesn't mean wild birds are the source of avian influenza in poultry. The DNR is now testing for the virus certain bird species that are found dead, such as raptors, wild turkeys and wild geese and ducks. Until now, Wisconsin's focus has centered on poultry operations. When the virus hits, Wisconsin farms have been quarantined and ordered to destroy poultry populations. Nearly 1.8 million chickens and turkeys have been killed, or are in the process of being killed. In addition to Wisconsin, recent outbreaks have occurred in Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, North and South Dakota and Kansas, forcing the depopulation of nearly 16 million turkeys and chickens, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture. H5N2 also has been detected in Ontario and in China. State agriculture officials said the avian influenza virus strain found in Wisconsin and other states represents a low risk to public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that no human infections from the virus have been detected. The agency said, however, that similar viruses have infected and killed people in the past. The agency said it is possible that human infections with the virus could occur. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported numerous sightings of snowy owls over the winter. The birds nest in the arctic and begin to fly south in November. The last two winters have been notable for back-to-back years with large winter migrations. In the arctic summer, snowy owls feed on lemmings, a favorite food. When food supplies are abundant, it can trigger a larger birthrate and then trigger mass movements, known as "irruptions," as the owls look for new territories. Another theory holds that low lemming populations harm reproduction and force snowy owls to disperse to find food. |
Antes que todo quiero aclarar dos cosas; la primera; no soy economista, soy un venezolano común pero me preocupa la economía del país en la actualidad y que, modestamente, estoy estudiando mucho del tema para tratar de entenderlo, la segunda, la he dicho en otras oportunidades, soy un socialista por convicción y no sé hasta dónde estaría dispuesto a llegar por mantener en pie esta revolución, con todo y sus fallas, que muchas de ellas hay que erradicarlas lo más rápido posible y el no hacerlo ocasiona malestar en mí y muchos compatriotas socialistas y chavistas. Apoyo plenamente la revolución y al Presidente constitucional de esta República Bolivariana. Además apoyo la solidaridad nacional e internacional de este gobierno, su defensa por los derechos humanos, la crítica al consumismo, su llamado a la unidad nacional para la producción y la confianza en el país y sus recursos morales. Por qué escribo sobre lo que no me gustó, sencillo, porque se dijo que hoy se iba a hablar sobre las medidas cambiarias, incluso en un cuadro informativo de aporrea.org se dice eso, y Maduro no las explicó, es más la periodista Lis Flores, de Venevisión, le pidió al Presidente un adelanto de las medidas a tomar en el sistema cambiario, siendo ella la última periodista en intervenir, y esto sucedió porque todo el mundo está esperando qué va a hacer el gobierno específicamente en ese tema, ese es el epicentro de la atención nacional, y el Presidente sólo se limitó a decir que las medidas con respecto al sistema cambiario las van a explicar Marcos Torres y Merentes, a principio de año calendario. Es decir, Maduro generó toda una expectativa y no la cumplió, y eso ha pasado no sólo hoy, nos tiene acostumbrado a ello. El Presidente Chávez cuando anunciaba algo es porque ya estaba listo, sólo anunciaba algo cuando estaba completo, y él mismo lo anunciaba y explicaba. Así era Chávez y nos dejó bien acostumbrados, Maduro tiene esa pequeña fallita. En este caso sólo nombró los objetivos del plan de recuperación económica, mas no los mecanismos específicos para lograrlos, quedé decepcionado. Ya volveremos al tema económico. Por otro lado cuando empezó a hablar habló de los muertos y heridos ocasionados por la guarimba sólo mencionó los del 2014, pero resulta que obvió a los 11 muertos ocasionados por la llamada a descargar la arrechera que le hizo Capriles a su gente, acompañado de Carlos Ocariz y Juán José Medina, en el 2013, craso error camarada. PROHIBIDO OLVIDAR; entre esos muertos del 2013 hubo 2 niños pisados por un camión, ellos son responsabilidad de Capriles, eso hay que recordarlo a diario porque parece que se nos está olvidando y en usted eso es un pecado grave. Por otro lado no nos podemos olvidar de María Machado, esta señora, a pesar de que al parecer la están imputando o ya lo está, sale del país para Francia, en pleno desacato de su proceso judicial, porque sin ser abogado creo que alguien en su situación debe tener prohibición de salida del país, ella también tiene responsabilidades en los 43 fallecidos en las guarimbas del 2014, debería recordar eso siempre, y más cuando habla con la prensa internacional. NO A LA IMPUNIDAD. Acuérdese que usted lo dijo hoy, no podemos convertir a reincidentes en héroes, yo le agregaría: y siempre debemos recordárselo al país. Otro aspecto que me preocupa, es que usted dijo que el pueblo se mantuvo movilizado en 2014, eso es muy cierto, pero Presidente, entendiendo que las FANB están identificadas con la Revolución en su gran mayoría, y que contamos con una milicia Bolivariana, el pueblo no tiene armas, sé que la situación nuestra no es la misma de Allende en 1973, pero con estos locos de la ultraderecha internacional y nacional, no se sabe qué puede pasar, y nuestro pueblo debería estar adiestrado en el manejo de armas y tácticas militares, en Cuba esa es una de sus fortalezas y el imperialismo lo sabe, y por eso los ha respetado. “El que intente apoderarse de Cuba, si no muere en el intento, sólo conseguirá su suelo anegado en sangre” Antonio Maceo; no quiero parecer un extremista loco más, pero tenemos mucho petróleo y no se sabe si vendrán por nosotros, si no preguntémosle a los iraquíes, afganos, sirios, chilenos, palestinos, y pare de contar. Esto último no es una crítica a su discurso, es una propuesta mía, que cada quién la puede catalogar como mejor le parezca. Volvamos al plano económico, usted explicó que la inversión social se mantendrá a pesar de la llamada guerra económica, y de la reducción de los precios petroleros, y además cataloga este escenario como una oportunidad para lograr el cambio hacia un nuevo modelo económico y, aunque no lo mencionó, me imagino que es hacia una economía agropecuaria e industrial, e incluso leyó un pensamiento de Albert Einstein donde éste dice, parafraseado por mí, que las crisis se deben aprovechar para motorizar los cambios, sin miedo y con mucha decisión. Muy bien, pero me pregunto, no lo logramos cuando con el Presidente Chávez tuvimos varios semestres seguidos de un indudable crecimiento económico, donde dispusimos de cuantiosos recursos económicos y con la población muy comprometida con este proceso, ¿cómo lo vamos a lograr ahora con esta guerra económica interna, con menos dólares por otra guerra en los precios del petróleo avisada que va a durar por lo menos dos años, y con una merma en su popularidad por los daños a la economía doméstica que hasta ahora no han podido derrotar, como usted mismo lo dijo? La tenemos fea y esperamos las peores condiciones para querer salir de este escenario económico poco ventajoso para la república. En un artículo de opinión realizado por Manuel Sutherland, y titulado: Las nuevas medidas económicas del gobierno, crítica a la devaluación y alternativas socialistas, se dice que en el periodo de 2003 a 2012 la burguesía nacional ha extraído de Venezuela, en miles de millones de dólares la cantidad de 224.905 US$, es decir, que aún con el presidente Chávez en el gobierno y con control de cambios la burguesía logró sacar esa ingente cantidad de dinero, mucho mayor a la cantidad de dinero extraída por esa burguesía parasitaria criolla durante el periodo de 1970 a 2000 y con la cual se pudieron haber construido, según el mismo autor, más de 100 líneas ferroviarias que atravesaran toda Venezuela. Usted se queja de la inflación inducida y de que la lucha por los precios justos se ha dado pero no se ha logrado, además reconoció la especulación con los productos navideños de todo tipo que el gobierno importó en esta época para el pueblo venezolano, también dijo que, por ahora, no es recomendable aumentar el precio de la gasolina y los productos derivados del petróleo, le recuerdo que nada más con el regalo de la gasolina el Estado pierde aproximadamente 12.000 millones de dólares anuales, ¿no tenemos la necesidad coyuntural de recuperar ese dinero para incluirlo en la inversión social?, a mí y a muchos venezolanos nos parece que sí, pero camarada, usted es el jefe del Estado, y por último usted ha dicho que se está defendiendo el ingreso de los trabajadores, pero le aseguro, porque lo siento en mi bolsillo de asalariado, que por ahora van perdiendo esa pelea. ¿Por qué le pinto todo este panorama económico nacional? Porque resulta que no oímos nada sobre la nacionalización del comercio exterior, para quitarles los dólares a esos burgueses criollos con empresas de maletín, que de paso esa denuncia le costó el puesto a la Ministra Aimé Betancourt, seguido con la separación del gobierno de Jorge Giordani por casos de corrupción interna en su gabinete. Esta propuesta lógicamente no es mía, pero léalas de personas que sí saben del tema: “Ahora me estoy refiriendo a la creación de una corporación de importación y exportación estatal, para quitarle a la burguesía la hegemonía importadora, nosotros parecemos pendejos dándole los dólares a la burguesía. Ellos importan, sobrefacturan, compran en el exterior cualquier cosa que valga un dólar (1 US$) y vienen acá y lo venden por 5 US$ o su equivalente en bolívares y piden más dólares de lo que realmente cuesta” [i] Presidente Hugo Chávez Las medidas cambiarias probablemente sean la mayor metida de pata gubernamental en los últimos 15 años. (…) Se trata de unas normas imbéciles, improvisadas, piratas y a contramano. (…) Donde está el rollo, (…) es en los más de 50 mil millones de dólares en importaciones del sector privado“[ii] Alberto Nolia “En una economía tan dolarizada como la Argentina, en donde los componentes importados afectan a casi todas, por no decir todas, las actividades económicas, dejar que la disponibilidad de dólares quede en manos de un puñado de oligopolios es un acto de soberana insensatez.”[iv] Atilio Boron Central Estatal Única de Importaciones (CEUI) una propuesta socialista que crece… “En Venezuela se tiene que adoptar reglamentos de emergencia –como por ejemplo la propuesta de la ALEM-CIFO de estatización del comercio exterior-“[viii] Dr. Leovegildo Leal (Brasil) “Una decisión tan crucial e impostergable como la estatización del comercio exterior, cualquiera que sea su forma legal y jurídica, es antes un hecho político (…)” Dr. Atilio Boron (Argentina) “Proponemos al gobierno Nacional para la discusión y aprobación en la ley habilitante la creación de una Empresa única Estatal de importaciones, que proteja las divisas obtenidas con el petróleo”[ix] Consejo Regional del Poder Popular Carabobo “Hay tres palancas fundamentales para el diseño de un plan de la nación (…): a) El control absoluto de la Renta Petrolera y de las divisas en las que se cuantifica. b) El monopolio estatal del comercio exterior con absoluto control social. (…)”[x] Marea Socialista “Oscar Figuera, propuso al Ejecutivo Nacional crear una Comisión para impulsar la Central de Importaciones para realizar compras de productos en dólares y venderlos en bolívares.”[xi] Oscar Figuera: Sec. Gral. Del Partido Comunista de Venezuela “Esto sería estatizar el comercio exterior. (…) Para ser consecuentes es el estado quien debe monopolizar las importaciones. No entregar un dólar más a los capitalistas y que sea el estado quien importe los bienes que requiere la población.” Luís Lozada, Colectivo Bravosur “[El gobierno oye] las recomendaciones de la izquierda radical como de los que creen en un “socialismo de mercado”. Eso pasó con la Central de Comercio Exterior propuesta por el PCV, el movimiento sindical marxista y por el economista Manuel Sutherland, etc...El Gobierno salió con una propuesta parecida, pero no igual.”[xii] Simón Andrés Zuñiga Todas del mismo artículo anteriormente citado de M. Sutherland. Pareciera ilógico que en Chile, que tiene un gobierno con una fuerte presencia del pinochetismo en su congreso nacional, sí tenga los mecanismos para que el Estado maneje el 100% de todos los dólares que provienen del cobre, sustento principal de su economía, pero Argentina y Venezuela, con gobierno peronista el primero y socialista el segundo, no lo hayan podido implementar, hasta ahora. Y ni hablar de la nacionalización de la banca privada, que logra jugosas ganancias como intermediario en la transacción tramposa de esos dólares preferenciales y del SICAD, y que usted ya conoce y el público lector también. No le colocaré datos para no hacer más largo este artículo de opinión. En conclusión camarada Presidente, apoyo sus esfuerzos por ganar esta guerra económica y sé de su amor por el pueblo, pero debe profundizar con esas dos medidas adicionales; nacionalización del comercio exterior y la banca privada. Sólo así, tendremos los dólares totales de nuestra renta petrolera para ganarle la guerra económica al imperio norteamericano y sus lacayos internos, bancarios y políticos. Y por favor, cuando anuncie algo importante para el país, hágalo. Esta nota ha sido leída aproximadamente 6551 veces. |
At least three people are reported dead and dozens more seriously injured in Bahrain after riot police violently dispersed protesters in the capital – escalating the confrontation and underscoring the government's willingness to use force to stymie the growing calls for political reform. The raid – in which police used tear gas, batons, and bird-shot – took place overnight as security forces targeted a large crowd of demonstrators who had gathered at a protest camp at the landmark Pearl Roundabout in the capital, Manama. The police action was clearly aimed at preventing a mass demonstration planned for Saturday to call for constitutional reform and a more representative parliament in a country where political power is concentrated in the hands of the ruling Al-Khalifah family. But it's unclear whether the harsh action – which included dozens of Army trucks and armored vehicles – will tamp down protests that have been buoyed by the popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, or only serve to energize protesters, further destabilizing the Persian Gulf kingdom. How the raid was carried out Armored cars are now patrolling the streets of the capital, and all further protests have been banned by the authorities. But sporadic clashes have occurred in different parts of the city. A statement from the Ministry of Interior claimed that the authorities had attempted to negotiate a peaceful end to the demonstration. "Security forces evacuated the area of Pearl Roundabout from protesters, after trying all opportunities for dialogue with them, in which some positively responded and left quietly," the statement read. However, human rights activists were quick to dismiss these reports, and Al Jazeera reported that the protesters were asleep when the police raid began and that medical staff attending the wounded were among those beaten by police. The violence comes on the fourth consecutive day of protests since demonstrators staged a ‘Day of Rage’ on Feb. 14, with two protesters killed earlier in the week. In the aftermath of these fatalities, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Issa issued an apology and promised an investigation into excessive police violence. But last night's events appear to make a mockery of the monarch's statement of regret. Sunnis and Shiites could unite against monarchy Bahrain is a key strategic ally of the US and home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, which has seen active service in a range of regional conflicts from Iraq to Afghanistan. However, the country has long been a scene of political and sectarian tensions. Power is concentrated in the hands of the Al Khalifa ruling family who belong to the Sunni sect of Islam. But Shiites account for a majority of the population, and historically they have not enjoyed the same economic opportunities as Sunnis. Unlike the shock that greeted the uprising in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, Bahrain has long been the scene of political discontent. During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s and again in the 1990s, the Bahraini government repeatedly jailed members of Shiite political groups calling for greater political representation. Such actions were justified in terms of national security threats amid lingering territorial claims by Iran over Bahrain. Attempts at political reform in 2002 that changed the country from an emirate to a constitutional monarchy have so far failed to yield meaningful change. However, if the current maelstrom of political reform rushing through the region unites both the Shiite underclass with middle-class Sunnis tired of the status quo, the Al Khalifah dynasty may be forced to cede more power to the people, or use greater force to suppress dissent. Seven opposition groups have come together to organize protests for Saturday, hoping to draw as many as 100,000 but expecting at least half that, the Wall Street Journal reported. |
In the transgenic era, the most important insect management decision a corn producer makes is deciding which type of corn hybrid to plant — a Bt hybrid or a non-Bt hybrid? This decision is typically made in the fall or early winter, well before planting ensues. In a sense, a producer who elects to plant a Bt hybrid takes out an insurance plan against a wide range of insect pests for the upcoming growing season. I have referred to this in previous Bulletin articles as — insurance pest management, the new and most popular form of IPM across the Corn Belt. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, 80% of corn grown in the United States during 2014 was a Bt hybrid. Once again, we have Professor Chris DiFonzo, Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, to thank for preparing an updated Handy Bt Trait Table. Within this table Professor DiFonzo provides information on trade and event names, specific Cry proteins expressed, refuge requirements, herbicide tolerance characteristics, and targeted insect species. Producers are encouraged to pay particular attention to whether or not a specific Bt hybrid offers control or suppression of a given insect pest. Many of the Bt hybrids now offer a wide range of insect protection above ground (e.g. European corn borer, black cutworm, fall armyworm, corn earworm, stalk borer, western bean cutworm) and below ground (corn rootworm). In addition, producers need to ensure that they are deploying the proper refuge with their Bt hybrid of choice. Although seed blend refuges (5% and 10%) are becoming more common, use of some Bt hybrids requires a structured refuge. The level of complexity regarding refuge requirements for the wide variety of Bt hybrids has increased in recent years. Recently, bioassays conducted by Dr. Joe Spencer, an entomologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, have confirmed western corn rootworm resistance to the Cry3Bb1 protein in several Illinois counties (Henry, Kankakee, Livingston, McDonough, Mercer, Sangamon, and Whiteside). A segment of the western corn rootworm population has developed cross resistance to the mCry3A protein and resistance to crop rotation in Kankakee and Livingston counties. Producers who have not been satisfied with the level of root protection afforded by a Bt hybrid and suspect resistance, should consider planting a pyramided Bt rootworm hybrid — a hybrid that expresses more than one Cry protein targeted at corn rootworms. Crop rotation also should be considered by producers in fields with a history of continuous corn production. For producers who elect not to rotate crops, nor use a pyramided Bt rootworm hybrid, the planting of a non-Bt hybrid along with a planting-time soil insecticide is an option. The key to successful long term management of corn rootworms is utilization of an integrated approach — alternating tactics and thus hopefully avoiding resistance development. Unfortunately, the history of western corn rootworms is one of repeating past mistakes and development of resistance to nearly every management strategy. A final note — black cutworm moths are migrating into the state of Illinois and growers who elect not to plant a Bt hybrid offering control against this pest should remain especially vigilant for early signs of leaf feeding once corn seedlings begin to emerge. Fields at most risk include those heavily infested with winter annual weeds. Mike Gray, Professor & Extension Entomologist, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois |
"The European parliament is poised to call for a break-up of Google" in a vote next week, the Financial Times reported today. The resolution would be nonbinding, because any final action would have to be taken by the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union. "A draft motion seen by the Financial Times says that 'unbundling [of] search engines from other commercial services' should be considered as a potential solution to Google’s dominance," the paper wrote. "It has the backing of the parliament’s two main political blocs, the European People’s Party and the Socialists." While the parliament itself "has no formal power to split up companies," it does have "increasing influence on the [European] Commission, which initiates all EU legislation," the report said. "The commission has been investigating concerns over Google’s dominance of online search for five years, with critics arguing that the company’s rankings favor its own services, hitting its rivals’ profits." Text of the draft resolution is expected to be finalized early next week with a vote coming on Thursday, the Times wrote, adding that European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager has said she will listen to Google and its various critics before deciding how to go forward with an antitrust inquiry. Google declined to comment when contacted by Ars. Google also declined to comment to the Financial Times. "However, executives at the company are understood to be furious at the political nature of the motion and only became aware of the document in the past couple of days, after an MEP [Member of the European Parliament] contacted Google for advice on its meaning," the newspaper wrote. European regulators have taken a hard line against Google on several issues, including privacy, self-promoting behavior in its search engine, and the "right to be forgotten." UPDATE: Ars has now seen a copy of the draft proposal. While it does not mention Google directly, it says that "the online search market is of particular importance in ensuring competitive conditions within the digital single market, given the potential development of search engines into gatekeepers and their possibility of commercialising secondary exploitation of obtained information." The proposal "therefore calls on the Commission to enforce EU competition rules decisively, based on input from all relevant stakeholders and taking into account the entire structure of the Digital Single Market in order to ensure remedies that truly benefit consumers, internet users and online businesses; [and] furthermore calls on the Commission to consider proposals with the aim of unbundling search engines from other commercial services as one potential long-term solution to achieve the previously mentioned aims." European MEP Jan Philipp Albrecht issued a statement saying, “It is key to assure equal competition in a Digital Single Market. Search engines like Google should not be allowed to use their market power to push forward other commercial activities of the same company.” |
MUMBAI: In a shocking case, a 17-year old girl has lodged a complaint against her 44-year old father for raping her for last five years. The Rafi Ahmed Kidwai (RAK) Marg in Wadala have arrested father who is taxi driver by profession. The RAK marg police in Sewri on Thursday evening arrested the man who had been sexually assaulting his minor daughter for past five years. Though he has been sexually abusing her, she lodged a complaint only on late Thursday night after accused returned home and tried to again exploit her. Sources said that on Thursday she gathered courage and managed to call the main control room from her cell phone. The control room immediately diverted the RAK Marg police officials to Sakaram Manjrekar Marg Sewree. RAK marg police reached the spot and arrested the victim's father and the victim was taken to the KEM hospital Police officials said that the police than pulled in two women police officers and counseled her. It was here that she narrated her ordeal and police were shocked to learnt that father used to exploit her for past five years. Victim who is a school drop out told police in her statement that as her mother had passed away few in 2008 she used to stay with her two younger siblings and her father.In 2008 her father tried to rape her and when she resisted he threatened to kill her and she succumbed to his advances. Since then he had been sexually abusing her at their residence but on Thursday night when she was asleep the accused again tried to rape her. She resisted him and he again threatened her and started assaulting her. She somehow managed to get out of the house which is located in the slums at Sewri with her cell phone and informed the police control room. |
Crying Nut responded to CNBLUE and FNC Entertainment's official apology. As a quick recap, Crying Nut filed a lawsuit against CNBLUE because the idol band�previously performed Crying Nut's "Offside" on 'M!Countdown' back in 2010 and the recorded performance was later included in their DVD released in Japan. However,�Mnet had�stepped forward to say they would be taking�responsibility for the lawsuit.�Crying Nut responded by asking�Mnet�to not interfere in their lawsuit against�CNBLUE. FNC Entertainment and CNBLUE then issued a formal apology on their website. The following is Crying Nut's official statement. Hello. We are Crying Nut. First, we are sorry that we are greeting you with unhappy news. We seriously�reflected�about the problem between Crying Nut and CNBLUE, working hard to look at the situation without clouded judgement or bias. We are carefully writing this post. First, let us make it clear that we have no bad feelings towards CNBLUE and we do not want to use them in any way. The situation started two years ago in the fall of 2011, where we received a phone call from a large company. They asked us if they can use CNBLUE's live cover version of Crying Nut's "Offside" because CNBLUE was releasing a DVD in Taiwan. We were confused by the random question, but we politely refused. We said that the live copy was fine, but politely refused the footage use in a DVD. We thought that was the end of it. But we later heard that our song was used in a DVD released in Japan, and we were severely offended. And we also saw the video on YouTube by chance, and we heard our instruments and voice in the live version. They used our AR (All Recording or Original Recording), we saw the DVD and our pride was completely hurt, and we looked up if it was OK to do so under copyright and neighboring copyright laws. After that, we took legal measures. We learned the problem with the�broadcast�along with the DVD production and distribution was with the broadcast station and the large company. While the copyright and the neighboring copyright problems were with CNBLUE. We already took up the issue with the large company and received an official apology. And we wanted to also receive an apology from CNBLUE on the copyright issue. But we thought that if there was another similar incident to occur in the future and the end result was just receiving an apology, another such damaging incident could occur. And if there was no legal�precedence set, we also thought that powerless indie bands could have extremely unfair harm bestowed upon them if something like this occurred again in the future. Also because CNBLUE had a plagiarism issue before with the indie band 'xxx', we had to take time to accurately prepare legal measures. We are clearly stating that our aim is not noise marketing through lawsuits with CNBLUE, or to stop a popular band's future because of money. What Crying Nut wants to say is that matters of 'copyright and neighboring copyright' should not be so easily overlooked, but should be closely looked at with a resolution. If a band used the Beatles' AR and just used it for�broadcast�and commercial matters, do you think the situation would be the same? We do not think that it is a such a matter where you can just simply say, 'We lipsynced since we were rookie musicians and we were told to do so by the broadcast station. Why are you being so narrow minded and picking on us for something like that, sunbaenim!' and to leave it alone. They lip and hand-synced to another song's AR and even released a DVD. We thought it was unprofessional and could not understand it when they tried to appeal to our emotions by telling us that they had no other choice because of the�broadcast�station. We had a lot of different thoughts, such as 'Maybe we looked easy because we are an indie band?' or 'Maybe they don't know enough about copyright matters?'. We then saw CNBLUE's official apology. We felt a little better and realized CNBLUE was also suffering, and we honestly had a lot of mixed emotions. But we also felt a bit bitter about the apology. We saw an article saying that they apologized sincerely and that they would try to stop another situation from happening....... But they didn't say how they were going to make an effort to stop it from happening. The reason why we took legal measures is to stop a re-occurrence�so no future artist can be harmed. (Honestly, we wish there would be a good alternative.) We spoke the truth to a large company and confidently gained our rights. And they�acknowledged�their wrong doing, so we were able to find a middle ground. We are also telling CNBLUE the truth and we are looking for our rights. It is okay if we are told that we have a double standard, or if we're called narrow-minded sunbaes? We are just telling the truth and we want to find our rights and our honor. We do not want to hurt anyone and we also don't want to get hurt, this is the mindset of indie band Crying Nut. Also, the legal compensation we would get from CNBLUE will be deposited to our legal firm to be donated for the copyrights in order to help grow the indie scene. We heard that CNBLUE were also once an indie band in Japan. What is 'indie'? Simply, it is 'independence'? They create their own music, produce in their system, and distribute through a pretty independent method. The most important thing is to have full�responsibility�over their products and actions. 'Indie' is not marketing. It is a full mindset. We do not believe that wrongdoings should be avoided when you are part of an independent movement but had no choice because someone with power told you to simply do so. 'One truthful stroke' can change the world. From Crying Nut. |
- Resizing, SFX, and custom menu added - Settings rehauled to be more user-friendly, help text for clarification and information. - Two languages added: Arabic and Khmer (Cambodian) - New & sleek clock OC, welcome skin, small toggle for hour chime on clock added - Cleaned things up in general... again xD - Changed clock font to resemble more like in-game font. (Varela Round) download is from Google Fonts: fonts.google.com/specimen/Vare… - Created setting file for easy editing. Right click the skin > click the open settings option under custom skin action tab. - Multi-language function is still available -- presets are English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean. Can be modified in settings file. - Set as smaller clock, can change size if you really want to but may have to tweak locations of meters slightly. - Chime sound that plays every hour. Sound can be changed in settings file. - Two types of clock images. Can be switched in settings file. - Cleaned things up in general. Clock appearance is based off of the game Animal Crossing: New Leaf. I tried to replicate it to as close as I could with what little coding I know with Rainmeter.Download link for the skin is in the top-right area of this page.Enjoy!v3.4 || 8/25/17 || Huge Rehaul!v2.0 || Jan 26, 2017 || First update yay! || Legacy v2.0 download link here Inspiration |Background for Deviant Art preview |Font |courtesy of Joe PrinceVarious SFX |Random Talking Bush's submission onVarious Sprites | redblueyellow's submission onResize Suggestion |and© Nintendo. All rights reserved.This art was for educational purposes in learning Rainmeter. |
All this past month the big business story has been about shopping. Would Black Friday remain black? Is Cyber Monday still a phenomenon? How will in-store sales fare? Well, the numbers are now in and they have some interesting clues for content marketers about how we should be promoting our content and marketing our businesses. Here are some intriguing shopping statistics and 3 big lessons we can draw from them. Mobile Keeps Soaring According to Forbes magazine, Black Friday 2014 online sales grew 20.6% over Black Friday 2013. Mobile shopping comprised almost a third of that, with 30.3% of online sales done on phones and tablets, up from only 22.5% on Black Friday 2013. On Cyber Monday e-commerce revenue was up 15.4% over Cyber Monday 2013, and orders were up 15.3%. Mobile shopping accounted for over a fifth of online shopping on Cyber Monday 2014 – 21.9% of orders. That’s a significant jump from only 15.9% on Cyber Monday 2013. This according to Custora, a predictive marketing platform. But Email Is King Yep, email. Email marketing was the channel driving most online sales on Black Friday, when it accounted for 27.3% of sales and 23.1% of orders. Cyber Monday exhibited a similar trend, though less pronounced – with email marketing driving 23.9% of orders that day. And email played a major role in driving in-store traffic too. And Local Search Is the Up and Comer Beyond email, Reuters reported that on Black Friday, 8.9% of online sales originated through free search, and 18.5% through paid search. Cyber Monday saw free search 18.8%, and paid search 16%. For the holiday weekend, the story is similar, free search 19.4%, and paid search 17%. Perhaps the most intriguing news about local search comes from ShopperTrak which surveys traffic at bricks-and-mortar stores. They found that sales on Dec. 6 (Super Saturday) were 3.4 percent higher than the first Saturday of December a year earlier. And what did they say was driving in-store sales? Local search first, then email and mobile. It turns out that this has been going on all year. According to a March 2014 Gallup poll, instead of eroding in-store sales, mobile has encouraged shoppers to buy at in-store locations. 59% of survey respondents claim that mobile technology hasn’t changed how they do their in-person retail shopping. In fact, using smartphones to comparison shop onsite often means that people will buy where they are instead of leaving to save a few dollars elsewhere. Furthermore, 22% of the Gallup respondents said they are shopping more frequently in person because of mobile technology. Younger people (18 to 29-year-olds) are almost twice as likely to be in that 22%. Of those, about 29% say mobile has increased their in-store shopping, while only 15% say mobile has decreased their in-store purchases. The icing on the cake? Deloitte Digital found that consumers who use mobile technology not only are shopping in person, but spend about 40% more than those who don’t use mobile technology. The Lessons Be sure your content makes use of adaptive technology so it displays properly on mobile devices and across an array of operating systems. Scale illustrations so they work for viewers who are using smaller screens. Don’t make the mistake of thinking email is just for the old folks. It drove the lion’s share of online sales this season and it can help get the right consumer eyes on your content. (And besides, older shoppers spend money too!) Maximize both online and in-store sales by a smart use of local search, both organic and paid. Create content that educates consumers so they understand the value of your products and services. Offer location-based promotions to capture mobile users who are in your neighborhood at the moment. And a bonus tip: Avoid making assumptions about how consumers use technology. As more people become more comfortable with digital devices, patterns shift and opportunities arise that may not have been available just months earlier. Sources for Statistics: http://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2014/11/29/black-friday-2014-biggest-online-shopping-day-ever-mobile-up-social-negligible/ http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/20/us-usa-holidaysales-idUSKBN0JY0MJ20141220 http://news.yahoo.com/u-holiday-sales-may-recover-help-deep-discounts-213631824–finance.html;_ylt=A0LEViz7tplUf3cARoQPxQt |
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