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Michael J. Armstrong teaches courses on quality improvement in the Goodman School of Business at Brock University.
Recent Globe and Mail reporting has uncovered a "Wild West" of grey-market marijuana sales where product quality ranges from uneven to potentially unsafe. Given this situation, the federal government should proceed promptly with its legalization promise. This will not only protect consumers from hazardous products but also enable industry self-improvement.
Many products are easy for customers to evaluate before purchase. For example, before buying a sweater, I can see colour, feel texture and test fit. In product-design terms, these are "search" characteristics. I can judge quality while searching for the best product to buy.
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Recreational pot isn't one of those products. Like a restaurant meal or a massage, it instead has important "experience" characteristics, such as the high it produces. Consumers can evaluate these only through use.
Marijuana also has "credence" characteristics consumers can't easily assess, even after use. Some are desirable, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content. Others are hazardous, such as bacteria and pesticide contamination. For these, buyers must rely on sellers' claims.
Because these unseen factors affect consumer health, government regulation is appropriate. As others have argued, the products themselves need standards, such as for minimum THC content and maximum pesticide levels. Likewise, processes need defining, such as for product testing and retailer licensing. Some of the new cannabis grower and retailer associations could participate in this.
Regulatory standards and oversight will help prevent defects that could harm consumers. In the quality field, these are part of conformance quality: ensuring products meet the minimums and maximums set for them.
But quality isn't just about avoiding the bad; it also involves creating the good. From a consumer viewpoint, what is a high-quality high? What are the best THC and CBD levels? Do the answers vary by market segment?
Those issues are part of design quality: making products great for consumers. This is where marijuana producers and retailers should take the lead, once government sets the baselines.
Marijuana's credence and experience aspects will likely make branding important. Name brands allow products to establish trustworthy reputations. Given a choice, would customers buy weed from some guy allegedly named Mike, and risk an unpredictable result each time? Or would they purchase Mike's Genuine (TM), knowing it consistently provides the desired effect?
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To create and protect those brands, retailers and producers will need reliable supply chains that provide product traceability. Industry associations can also help by creating guidelines that encourage higher quality, much as the Vintners Quality Alliance does for wines.
The industry's eventual structure will largely depend on the details of legalization. Will marijuana be treated like tobacco, widely available but with restricted advertising? Like alcohol, with sales only through licensed (often government-owned) retailers? Like medicines, available only from pharmacies? Or like dietary supplements, with relatively few limitations?
In any event, controlling chemical compositions and establishing brand images won't come cheaply. So the recent proliferation of small retailers and suppliers likely won't last. Some will consolidate into regional or national firms, while others will get marginalized.
(For parallels, look at the personal-computer industry. Decades ago, many small shops built homemade computers. Now, big companies such as Dell and Lenovo dominate sales to mainstream consumers.)
But before any of this can happen, governments need to create the legalization framework. The sooner this happens, the better, as marijuana's current in-between status is the worst of all worlds. It's increasingly available to consumers, but impossible for regulators to control or for entrepreneurs to develop.
In this budding industry, it's time to not only weed out the bad, but also cultivate the good.
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As Minnesota’s celebrated boating season ramps up this month, one Edina family’s loss has propelled them to lead a small but sweeping change to the state’s big boating industry.
In the next year, thousands of boaters will have to install carbon monoxide detectors in their craft due to a new state law — the first of its kind in the nation — making them mandatory.
The legislation is called Sophia’s Law for 7-year-old Sophia Baechler, who died last October on Lake Minnetonka when carbon monoxide leaked from a hole in the boat’s exhaust pipe.
“I’m so heartbroken that we lost our daughter; I miss her so very much each and every day,” said her father, Ben Baechler. “I hope some good can come out of this tragedy.”
The bill passed in April after the family came up with the idea, lobbied for it and gave emotional testimony about the tragic day a few months before on the state’s most popular boating lake.
The law mandates that any motorboat with an “enclosed accommodation area” — which includes sleeping areas, galleys with sinks, and toilet compartments — must have a hard-wired, marine-certified carbon monoxide detector by next May 1.
Sophia Baechler, 7, died in 2015 from carbon monoxide poisoning on Lake Minnetonka.
“It’s a small investment to make when it can save your life,” said Sen. Melisa Franzen, DFL-Edina, one of the bill’s chief authors, adding that no one testified against the bill.
“We think this is a significant step to make sure boaters are safer,” she said. “Unfortunately it took a tragedy to bring that awareness.”
While some new boats already come with the detectors, owners of older boats will have to retrofit them. Portable or home carbon monoxide detectors won’t meet the rule.
Minnesota, which ranks No. 1 in the nation for most boats per capita, has more than 540,000 motorboats, according to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The agency doesn’t track how many have enclosed accommodation spaces, but Stan Linnell, the DNR boating and water safety manager, estimates that about 8,000 boats will need carbon monoxide detectors under the new law. Those boaters also must post three warning stickers about carbon monoxide poisoning.
Other motorboats that have “an enclosed occupancy space” — smaller areas into which a person might enter — won’t be required to have detectors but will still have to have the stickers. The DNR estimates that will affect about 45,000 boats, and will mail the stickers and distribute them at licensing centers before they’re required May 1, 2017.
Boaters who don’t follow the rules will get a warning, then a citation. The law requires that all boating safety courses include the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, which DNR classes already do.
“If you’re not paying attention to it, it can kill you,” Linnell said of carbon monoxide.
Boat manufacturers seem to support the new mandate. The American Boat and Yacht Council, which develops widely used safety standards, is requiring carbon monoxide detectors on new boats with enclosed accommodation spaces starting in August.
“It could be a good step forward for safety,” said David Dickerson of the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
A hidden danger
Death by carbon monoxide poisoning on boats is fairly rare, but it’s a hidden danger given that the toxic gas is odorless and invisible. According to the DNR, there have been three such deaths in Minnesota over nine years. In 2013, two men fishing on Lake of the Woods died from carbon monoxide caused by a faulty exhaust system.
Then last year, Sophia died.
“It’s just a senseless loss of life,” Ben Baechler said. “These deaths are 100 percent preventable.”
Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen when the gas builds up from an idling motor, generator or faulty motor exhaust system. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion.
In 2006, a woman was found unconscious on Minnetonka’s Cruiser’s Cove, where boats tie up. In 2013, a girl got sick after tubing about 20 feet behind her family’s boat. Both lived.
That’s why the Baechlers and some legislators pushed for detectors in all boats, not just enclosed ones.
Know the law • Owners of motorboats with an “enclosed accommodation compartment,” which includes sleeping areas, galleys with sinks and toilet compartments, must install a hard-wired marine-certified carbon monoxide detector, and also post carbon monoxide warning labels at the stern, steering station and enclosed area, by next May 1. • Owners of motorboats with an “enclosed occupancy compartment” — any structural space intended for a person to enter — must post carbon monoxide warning labels at the stern, steering station and enclosed area by next May 1. • All state-approved boating safety courses must include details about carbon monoxide poisoning.
“All boaters are vulnerable to carbon monoxide,” Ben Baechler said. “Once you realize something is wrong, it may be too late. The key is, we need to detect it early.”
Deadly day on the lake
The DNR advises boaters not to leave motors idling or generators running while anchored or docked, not to sit on the rear swim deck while the motor is running, and to stay back at least 20 feet when water skiing or tubing. Motors and exhaust systems should be maintained each year, especially in the fall when animals can chew through pipes.
That’s what happened with the Baechlers, as they enjoyed a rare 80-degree October day on crowded Lake Minnetonka.
A muskrat had chewed through the exhaust pipe, creating a hole underneath a mattress area in the 1984 Carver 28-foot cruiser. The gas had leaked into the boat, affecting everyone on it. Sophia went below deck to rest after complaining about a headache. Seven minutes later, her father found her lifeless.
Her parents, both doctors, gave her CPR and met responders at Wayzata Bay. But Sophia was pronounced dead at the hospital of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. The family had been on the boat for 35 minutes.
Still grieving their loss, the Baechler family is spreading awareness to prevent a similar tragedy. The new law is a “great start,” Ben Baechler said, and they hope it will be considered nationally.
“We’re confident this law will save lives,” he said, “and it will help remember Sophia. … In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota is and should continue to lead the way in boating safety because it’s such a way of life.”
Twitter: @kellystrib
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Sudan: UN urges Khartoum to pullout from Abyei region Published duration 22 May 2011
media caption South Sudan is due to become independent in July, but Abyei is still claimed by both sides
UN Security Council envoys have urged north Sudan to "withdraw immediately" its troops from the contested Abyei region on the border with South Sudan.
The call was made by the UN diplomats who are on a tour of Sudan.
South Sudan said the Abyei takeover was an act of war, saying civilians and southern soldiers were killed.
South Sudan is due to become independent in July, but Abyei's status remains to be determined after a referendum on its future was shelved.
People in the southern capital of Juba are worried and there is a grim mood on the streets of the capital, the BBC's Peter Martell in South Sudan reports.
The north said it acted after 22 of its men were killed in a southern ambush earlier this week.
Residents flee
"The members of the Security Council call upon the government of Sudan to halt its military operation and withdraw immediately from Abyei town and its environs," the French ambassador to the UN, Gerard Araud, said in Khartoum.
"They condemn the escalatory military operation being undertaken by the Sudanese armed forces. This constitutes a serious violation of the CPA (Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005)," Mr Araud said.
He was speaking during a joint news conference with his Russian and US counterparts.
Separately, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and EU top diplomat Catherine Ashton condemned the violence in Abyei.
A southern military spokesman earlier told the BBC the north had attacked the area with 5,000 troops, killing civilians and southern soldiers.
Some 20,000 people, almost the whole population of the town, had fled, aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) told the BBC.
Spokesman Raphael Gorgeu said residents had moved to Agok, about 45km (28 miles) south of Abyei, and were fleeing further south.
He said 42 people wounded in the fighting in Abyei had been treated at a local MSF hospital.
Southern 'ambush' criticised
The seizure of Abyei followed two days of skirmishes, artillery fire and at least one air raid.
The BBC's James Copnall in Khartoum says that in a clear demonstration of who is now in charge of Abyei, President Omar al-Bashir issued a decree dismissing the region's administration.
Abyei had been governed by a joint body comprising northerners and southerners, led by a southerner.
Southern military spokesman Col Philip Aguer said the north had committed an aggression, and called for the international community to step in.
"If the international community do not intervene quickly to rescue the situation then this is a complete violation of the comprehensive peace agreement, a complete violation of the ceasefire, and it is a declaration of war by Khartoum," he told the BBC.
The north says it acted after 22 of their men were killed in a southern ambush on Thursday.
The UN said the northern troops who were ambushed were being escorted out of Abyei by UN peacekeepers.
UN officials described the incident as "a criminal attack" and the US called on South Sudan to "account" for the assault.
Washington said the attack was "in direct violation" of the agreement signed by the north and south in January to "remove all unauthorised forces" from Abyei.
South Sudanese forces denied responsibility for the incident.
Tension over Abyei - claimed by a southern group, the Dinka Ngok, and northern nomads, the Misseriya - has been rising since a referendum on its future scheduled for January was postponed.
Since then there have been fears clashes in Abyei could spark a new north-south war, which this latest incident will do nothing to dispel, our correspondent says.
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PSD a câștigat alegerile parlamentare din 2016 și, teoretic, poate forma majoritatea parlamentară împreună cu ALDE, potrivit exit-poll-ului IRES.
ACTUALIZARE 22:00 Estimarea IRES pe baza datelor culese până la ora 21.00, când s-au închis urnele:
PSD - 45,4 la sută
PNL - 21,0 la sută
USR - 9,4 la sută
UDMR - 6,8 la sută
ALDE - 6,4 la sută
PMP - 4,7 la sută
PRU - 2,5 la sută
Estimarea pe baza datelor culese până la ora 20:00 (cu o oră înainte de închiderea urnelor):
PSD a obținut 45,8 la sută din voturi la alegerile legislative din 2016, urmat de PNL cu 20,8 la sută din voturi, potrivit estimărilor exit-poll-ului IRES, realizat la comanda Digi24, pe baza datelor culese până la ora 20:00.
ALDE ar avea 6,3 la sută din voturi, astfel că o coaliție PSD-ALDE ar avea, teoretic, peste 50 la sută din voturi.
Al treilea cel mai bun rezultat aparține USR-ului, cu 9,2 la sută din voturi. În Parlament mai intră UDMR, care ar fi obținut 6,7 la sută din sufragii.
Potrivit sondajului, PMP și PRU ar urma să NU intre în Parlament.
REZULTATE EXIT-POLL IRES - ora 21:00 (date culese până la ora 20:00)
PSD - 45,8 la sută
PNL - 20,8 la sută
USR - 9,2 la sută
UDMR - 6,7 la sută
ALDE - 6,3 la sută
PMP - 4,7 la sută
PRU - 2,5 la sută
IRES atrage însă atenţia că în cazul partidelor care se află în jurul cotei de 5 la sută, estimarea rezultatelor trebuie interpretată cu prudență, pentru că rezultatele pot fluctua în sens pozitiv sau negativ, ținând cont de marja de eroare (1,6 la sută).
Sunt opţiunile de vot ale alegătorilor culese de operatorii IRES până la ora 20:00. La ora 22.00, Digi24 va difuza estimările cu privire la votul alegătorilor înregistrat pe parcursul întregii zile, până la închiderea urnelor.
DATE TEHNICE. Cercetare sociologică la nivel naţional, realizată de IRES la comanda Digi24:
Cadru de eşantionare: Lista secțiilor de vot din 2016.
Designul eșantionului; Stratificat, cluster, două stadii, probabilist.
Stadiul 1: selecție secții de vot (PPS).
Stadiul 2: selecție votanți (sistematic/pas).
Selecția punctelor de eșantionare PPS (probabilitate proporțională cu mărimea secției de vot).
Număr puncte de eșantionare (secții de vot) 300.
Număr subiecți: 17.772.
Culegerea datelor: La ieșirea de la urne, metoda TAPI (față în față, chestionarul e aplicat de către operatorul de anchetă cu ajutorul tabletei conectate la internet).
Eroarea teoretică de eșantionare (încredere 95%; dispersie maximă): +/- 1.6%
Erori care nu țin de eșantionare: Erorile de non-eșantionare care pot influența semnificativ
estimările obținute (uneori pot fi chiar mai mari comparativ cu erorile de eșantionare):
- refuzul alegătorilor de a răspunde la întreg chestionarul sau la întrebări de vot,
- tipul de anchetă în relație cu tema (în ce măsură e afectată de dezirabilitatea socială) și modul de formulare a întrebărilor,
- dificultățile legate de munca operatorilor în secția de vot (în special poziția relativ la încăperea în care se află secția de vot),
- caracteristicile respondenților,
- contextul local (socio-demografic, economic și politic).
Probleme întâmpinate în teren: Câteva situații în care:
- Distanța operatorilor față de ieșirea din secție a fost mai mare,
- Au fost organizate mai multe secții de vot în aceeași sală și accesul operatorilor în imobil nu a fost permis.
Garantarea anonimatului și confidențialității: Participarea alegătorilor a fost voluntară și anonimă.
Perioada de culegere a datelor: Toată durata perioadei de vot (07-21).
Programarea aplicării chestionarelor și instrucțiuni specifice: Confidențial.
Asigurarea calității: Operatorii au fost verificați de cel puțin 3 ori pe parcursul zilei prin telefon și în teren.
Rata de răspuns la chestionar: 82%.
Rata de răspuns la întrebările de vot: 72%.
Posibile distorsiuni datorate non-răspunsurilor: Da, confidențial.
Ajustări ale estimărilor funcție de non-răspuns: Da, confidențial.
Ponderarea datelor: Da, confidențial.
Efect de design: (datorită eșantionării de tip cluster): 5.1
Rata omogenității (roh) / corelația intra-clasă (icc) în cazul întrebărilor de vot: 0.06
Institutul Român pentru Evaluare şi Strategie - IRES - a fost acreditat de Biroul Electoral Central pentru efectuarea unei cercetări sociologice în ziua alegerilor parlamentare. O doua acreditare a fost acordată consorţiului format de Centrul de Sociologie Urbana si Regionala - CURS si Grupul de Studii Socio-Comportamentale AVANGARDE. Rezultatele cercetării realizate de acesta vor fi prezentate de Antena3 şi site-ul Psnews.ro. Alte instituţii de sondare nu au mai fost acreditate.
RomâniaTV a anunţat că va prezenta primele estimări ale rezultatului votului, fără să precizeze însă de unde provine cercetarea sociologică sau cine face aceste estimări.
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Rare naval mission crashes in Random New World Games
AI pirating Rule Britannia and having access to Naval Doctrines when the player does not
Duplicating modifiers when loading multiple save games
Various Missions fixes a-la 20,000 development U-tsang
Religious icons offset
Luck of the Irish achievement not working for all Irish tags. (This won't be able to retroactively fix your save so if you want to go for the achievement with one of the newly added Irish tags, wait for this fix)
Cleves being nuts about converting heretics
Fixing that the English mission "Strategic Control" was sometimes impossible to complete.
Correct claims for Great Britain in decisions/nation formations/missions
Neverending AI wars
Good morning! It's Tuesday and probably 10am somewhere so let's have another EU4 Dev Diary. Today marks one week since the release of Rule Britannia along with the 1.25 England update. The whole team is delighted to see people playing and enjoying the content, in particular the popularity of England (Already one of the most played nations in the game) spikingSo while we are very happy with how this release has gone this is no time to rest on our laurels. We have been hard at work digesting your various bug reports and feedback and fixing appropriately. Today I want to talk about our development plans going forward.Firstly, we have not released any immediate hotfixes for 1.25. We put together a hotfix as soon as possible when we find massive issues, usually with stability (game crashing, consistent widespread out of syncs) which affect many people with high frequency. Thankfully we have not been receiving much report of these but there are still a number of issues which we do want to get fixed in a small patch which we are looking to have ready for you in the not too distant future.Here is a list of some of the issues we are looking to get fixed up as a matter of urgency:This is not an exhaustive list, but it's some of the more serious issues which we are looking to sort out in an upcoming 1.25.1 hotfix. Its deployment date is chalked up to be "soon", pending successful fixing, building and testing which all, much as we try to bend the fabric of reality, takes a bit of time. It's my hope that we can have the fix out to you in time for Easter though, so we can celebrate it, as is tradition, by staying indoors and playing games.Beyond this though, lies our road forward. We shall start working on our next update for Europa Universalis IV. While we are very happy with how our Immersion pack has done, the next planned release is slated to be an expansion and accompanying update of the magnitude of Rights of Man, Mandate of Heaven or Cradle of Civilization. Dev diaries going forward will be talking about some changes and additions in the next release which will be quite some time away. We'll start with talking about one of the bigger changes in 1.26 next week if all goes to plan, so see you then!
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Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir? The wrong answer to that question has cost one Frenchman more than $13,000.
The 51-year-old man has been successfully sued by his ex-wife, who claimed he did not have sex with her enough during 21 years of marriage.
The couple, who raised two children in the French Riviera, were granted divorce in Nice, southern France, two years ago, with the wife blaming her husband's low libido for the split.
The divorce court ruled the husband, known only as Jean-Louis B, was "solely responsible" for the break-up.
London's Telegraph reported the 47-year-old woman recently took the matter back to court to seek €10,000 in damages for the inactive sex life.
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AirAsia flight returns to Perth after mid-air scare Published duration 16 October 2017
image copyright Getty Images image caption The plane (not pictured) experienced problems about 25 minutes after take-off
An AirAsia Indonesia flight has been forced to turn back to Australia after pilots were alerted to a possible loss of cabin pressure, airport officials say.
Flight QZ535, bound for the Indonesian island of Bali, changed course about 25 minutes after take-off on Sunday.
The Airbus A320, carrying 151 people, landed safely at Perth Airport.
AirAsia said the flight experienced a "technical issue". Australian media said it had appeared to lose altitude.
"We were all pretty much saying goodbye to each other. It was really upsetting," one passenger told the local Nine network
A video taken on the plane, broadcast by local media, shows oxygen masks hanging from the ceiling and one person shouting "passengers get down, passengers get down".
Another passenger, Claire Askew, told the Seven network that "panic was escalated" by airline staff who were screaming and appeared to be in tears.
In a statement, AirAsia said it was "fully committed" to the safety of passengers. It did not elaborate on the problem.
"AirAsia apologises to passengers for any inconvenience caused," the statement said.
In June, an AirAsia X flight on its way to Bali was also forced to turn back to Perth after an engine problem left it "shaking like a washing machine".
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The kinds of devices used to make bump stocks are readily available for less than $300 on the web
Some key Republicans in Congress are also showing interest in a Democratic restriction bill.
However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it was “premature”
Three Democratic state senators said they will introduce legislation that would ban the possession and sale of a gun accessory that authorities said was used by the shooter in the Las Vegas massacre — an idea embraced by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy and not rejected by his opponent, Republican Kim Guadagno.
The suspect in the Las Vegas shooting modified a semiautomatic weapon with cheap and legal devices that enabled him to mimic the rapid fire of an automatic weapon, authorities said.
A video taken near the Mandalay Bay Casino by a bystander that provides audio of the continuous fire produced by the gunman can be seen above.
The device — also at the center of rare bipartisan gun legislation being pushed in Congress — is called a bump stock and the bill would institute an outright prohibition on their sale and possession.
A bump stock includes an aftermarket accessory that mimics fully automatic firing and has been approved by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
State Sens. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, and Richard Codey, D-Essex, along with Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, said they would introduce the legislation on Thursday.
“This was an open-air massacre that turned a music concert into a killing ground,” Lesniak said in a statement. “His firepower was dramatically increased by using these bump stocks to effectively convert his weapons into fully-automatic rifles. The sale and possession of these devices need to be outlawed.”
Murphy and Guadagno have argued numerous campaign issues along partisan lines, including gun control, but banning bump stocks appears to provide potential for agreement.
Murphy in a statement said that, as governor, he would sign such a bill “without hesitation,” but went on to argue that Guadagno, in a meeting with the Asbury Park Press editorial board earlier this week, had dismissed any talk of tightening gun restrictions when she said, “I won’t change the gun laws, simple as that. I won’t change the gun laws.”
This is different and merits "discussion,'' Guadagno said.
"Automatic weapons are already illegal, so we should absolutely have a discussion about bump stocks, which seem to violate the spirit of the law,'' she said. "While I would support an effort to make those illegal, New Jersey already has the third most restrictive gun laws in the country so I would not support additional restrictions on gun ownership for law-abiding citizens.”
The kinds of devices used to make bump stocks are readily available — for less than $300 on the internet — even to people who can't qualify to buy an automatic weapon.
In a statement Thursday, the National Rifle Association says the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives should immediately review whether these devices comply with federal law.
Additionally, the NRA says the devices should be "subject to additional regulations."
The statement came from NRA leaders Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox.
Some key Republicans in Congress are also showing interest in a narrowly written gun-control bill to ban bump stocks. The sponsor is Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s top-ranking Democrat.
Sen. David Perdue, R-Georgia, originally thought bump stocks were illegal. When a reporter told him that they are currently legal, he responded: “I’d look at (Feinstein’s bill), for sure.”
“You can’t buy a chain-fed machine gun in the United States today," he said. "There’s a reason for that, and I’d want to make sure that nobody has access to that, if that’s the law of the land."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it was “premature” to discuss “legislative solutions, if there are any,” when asked whether he could support a ban on equipment to convert semi-automatic weapons into automatic ones.
But House Speaker Paul Ryan is open to considering a possible ban, saying in an interview with MSNBC that aired Thursday it's "clearly something we need to look into."
Bump Stocks: How cheap is it to make a gun fully automatic? Less than $300
Authorities said Stephen Paddock opened fire Sunday from a hotel room above a packed outdoor concert in Las Vegas, killing at least 58, wounding 527 more and triggering a stampede as the panicked crowd scrambled for cover amid the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
Also Thursday, Codey and Sen. Nia Gill, D-Essex, introduced legislation to ban .50 caliber weapons in New Jersey for civilian use. A similar bill was supported by Gov. Chris Christie and approved by the state Legislature in 2013, but vetoed by Christie when it reached his desk.
More: Las Vegas Strip shooting: At least 58 dead, 515 others injured
Mass shootings: Las Vegas shooting is the deadliest in U.S. history
Who is Stephen Paddock? Police say he killed 58 in Las Vegas shooting rampage
Dan Radel: 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com
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Antibiotics are a medical marvel that has saved millions of lives around the world, but they must be properly and safely prescribed for humans and animals to ensure that they remain effective in treating diseases and illnesses. During Antibiotic Awareness Week and every week, I urge families and medical professionals to familiarize themselves with the consequences of antibiotic resistance and the steps we can all take to address this challenge.
Antibiotics are remarkable drugs that are instrumental in fighting certain infections caused by bacteria and fungi. Far too often, however, they are prescribed for common viral illnesses that they are not meant to treat, including the common cold, influenza, most cases of bronchitis, and stomach viruses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 30 percent of outpatient antibiotics, or 47 million prescriptions, are unnecessarily prescribed in human medicine each year. Overprescribing antibiotics can have harmful side effects and cause life-threatening allergic reactions. In the United States, an adverse reaction to antibiotics leads to approximately one out of every six medication-related visits for emergency medical care.
One of the most troubling consequences of overprescribing antibiotics is antibiotic resistance. Last week, the CDC released new numbers on the burden of antibiotic resistance threats in the United States showing that at least 2.8 million people become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria or fungi every year, and that more than 35,000 people die because of those infections.
As the world’s leader in medical ingenuity and advancements, we must do everything we can to combat the rapidly developing medical threat of antibiotic resistance. The CDC’s Be Antibiotics Aware initiative provides valuable and potentially life-saving resources to help educate both the public and healthcare professionals on when antibiotics are needed, how to optimize their prescription, and how to best combat antibiotic resistance. This program, combined with my Administration’s continued implementation of the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, is essential to addressing the rising concerns about the overprescription of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
This week, we resolve to improve antibiotic stewardship at home and in medical settings so that all Americans can understand the threat of antibiotic resistance and live fuller, healthier lives.
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A teenager accidentally shot himself inside an apartment late Friday night while playing with a gun.
Around 10:30 p.m., the 19-year-old was a playing with a gun with several other friends, when the gun accidentally went off inside the apartment located near Long Point Road and Oak Tree Drive. The teen died of a gun shot wound to the head.
Police interviewed the witnesses inside the apartment, but no charges are expected. No other information was available about the teen.
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Companies are fast to spot vulnerabilities but lazy to patch them, report Watch Now
The majority of vulnerabilities remain unpatched by the enterprise a month after discovery, researchers have found.
According to CA Veracode's latest State of Software Security (SOSS) report, up to 70 percent of bugs remain unpatched four weeks after disclosure, and close to 55 percent are not resolved three months after discovery.
Vulnerabilities impacting organization networks, apps, and infrastructure are not all equal, and part of responsible security practices require that IT staff triage issues to resolve and patch the bugs which are considered the most dangerous to that company.
However, according to the cybersecurity firm, 25 percent of vulnerabilities which are attributed high-severity ratings are not addressed within 290 days, and a quarter of disclosed bugs which may not be so critical remain unpatched well after a year.
In total, Veracode says that approximately one in four vulnerabilities are resolved within 21 days, but this still potentially leaves open a channel for successful cyberattacks.
As we saw in the case of the Equifax data breach, in which 146 million customer records were exposed, a failure to patch within a reasonable time frame can have disastrous consequences for a company.
See also: The most interesting Internet-connected vehicle hacks on record
The credit monitoring service's data breach was due to the exploit of a vulnerability in the Apache Struts framework, CVE-2017-5638, of which a patch had been made available months before the cyberattack.
An interesting aspect of the report is the regional differences which appear to exist when it comes to vulnerability remediation. Companies in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region are the quickest to act, patching a quarter of bugs within an average of eight days. This is followed by 22 days for the US, and 28 days for organizations in Europe and the Middle East (EMEA).
While rapid response appears to be a strength of the APAC region, this response does not take into account all relevant vulnerabilities. It takes an average of 413 days for firms in the US to resolve up to 75 percent of bugs, and double the time for companies in APAC and EMEA to follow suit.
Apps, on the whole, remain vulnerable, with at least 80 percent of applications containing at least one vulnerability, and over 30 percent of these are considered high severity.
When it comes to open-source security, the enterprise still needs to improve. According to the research, over 85 percent of apps used by corporations contain at least one vulnerability -- and while this isn't necessarily an issue if they are low-impact, 13 percent are considered high-risk.
TechRepublic: How RATs infect computers with malicious software
However, the enterprise cannot be expected to resolve every security flaw or bug as soon as it is publicly disclosed. Companies are not only using a wide array of services and apps but may also be using open-source components and libraries -- which creates a vast potential attack surface for them to keep an eye on.
Despite these challenges, the report suggests that the state of cybersecurity in the enterprise is slowly improving.
In total, it is estimated that 69 percent of vulnerabilities are eventually closed through either remediation or mitigation, which is an increase of 12 percent year-on-year.
CNET: White House wants to borrow tech workers from Google, Amazon, says report
"Security-minded organizations have recognized that embedding security design and testing directly into the continuous software delivery cycle is essential to achieving the DevSecOps principles of balance of speed, flexibility, and risk management," says Chris Eng, vice president of Research at CA Veracode. "These incremental improvements amount over time to a significant advantage in competitiveness in the market and a huge drop in risk associated with vulnerabilities."
Previous and related coverage
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In anticipation of the upcoming release of Hellpoint in two months, publisher tinyBuild and developer Cradle Games have released a free and standalone sequel chapter entitled The Thespian Feast to Steam to tide fans over.
Featuring a new protagonist and set years after Hellpoint, The Thespian Feast is a reworked map from the very first demo Cradle Games had released four years ago, according to Cradle Games’ creative director Matt Boudreau.
“In the final game, this is the sixth map if you follow the main path and I think players will find it interesting to see how much the game has progressed since then,” explains Boudreau. “The area is totally overrun by the Thespian demons, a race of flesh sculpting monsters and blood feasting degenerates. Compared to the 2016 demo, The Thespian Feast features completely new enemies and a new brutal boss fight. And don’t forget the split-screen co-op!”
Hellpoint is due out for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam on April 16.
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Lambda Legal, joined by Family Equality Council and 11 other organizations, today submitted a friend-of-the-court brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission detailing the multiple everyday experiences of hundreds of LGBT individuals, same-sex couples and their families who have faced discrimination.
At stake in Masterpiece Cakeshop is the claim by a Colorado baker that requiring him to serve LGBT customers violates his religious freedom and free speech rights. The brief marshals a broad range of examples drawn from Lambda Legal cases and calls to the Lambda Legal Help Desk and Family Equality Council that demonstrate the breadth of the harm already being experienced daily by LGBT people.
Further, these examples serve as a warning of how much worse that second-class status LGBT people already experience could become if such discrimination were immunized from remedy through religious or free speech exemptions like the ones sought in in this case.
“This is not about a cake: it’s about licensing cradle-to-grave discrimination against LGBT people,” Lambda Legal CEO Rachel B. Tiven said. “It isn’t just cake bakers and wedding photographers: it happens when we have no other options."
"LGBT people are denied service by tow truck operators at the side of the road, by repairmen in our homes, and by homeless shelters in our time of greatest need. Doctors refuse to care for us, and funeral homes break their contracts at moments of terrible loss, just because we are LGBT. In everyday life, we are rejected: post office clerks refuse to serve us, tax preparers won’t do our taxes. This isn’t religion, it’s discrimination.
“Our children are hurt because their parents are seen as less-than,” Tiven added. “We are excluded from childbirth classes because our presence might make other people uncomfortable. Pediatricians refuse to care for our children because two moms can’t be ‘the real parents.’ Our children are rejected from nursery schools and day care centers because they have two dads or two moms."
"This discrimination is pervasive. Lambda Legal hears these stories from all over the country: in southern states and northern, in big cities and small towns. It isn’t about a cake, and it isn’t about religion. It’s about rejection.”
Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission is the appeal of a 2012 case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) against a Denver-based bakery on behalf of David Mullins and Charlie Craig, a gay couple who sought to purchase a cake for their wedding reception.
Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips declined to bake a cake for Mullins and Craig, citing his religious beliefs. The couple complained to the Colorado Civil Rights Division, which ruled that Masterpiece Cakeshop had violated Colorado’s nondiscrimination statute.
After losing multiple appeals in the Colorado state system, Phillips and his lawyers from Alliance Defending Freedom asked the U.S. Supreme Court to grant review, which it did on June 26. The Supreme Court has scheduled oral argument in the case for Dec. 5, 2017.
“We and the Family Equality Council have over the years received more than a thousand reports from across the country detailing discrimination in wide-ranging public accommodations contexts,” said Jennifer C. Pizer, Lambda Legal Senior Counsel and Law & Policy Director.
“These include, for example, the lesbian couple denied infertility treatment by a San Diego-area OB/GYN practice in 1999, an Iowa wedding venue that refused to rent event space to a gay couple for their wedding in 2013, and a New Jersey hospital that refused to perform a routine hysterectomy for a transgender man in January. This is why nondiscrimination laws like Colorado’s are so important, so that people can live their lives without fearing that, at any moment, they may be turned away or verbally abused just for who they are.”
"LGBT parents and their children suffer real harm due to discrimination every day," said Shelbi Day, Senior Policy Counsel at Family Equality Council.
"Through the voices of LGBT individuals and their loved ones, this brief demonstrates the real-life harm that results from discrimination and the danger of allowing any exception to non-discrimination protections."
The other organizations joining Lambda Legal and the Family Equality Council on the amicus brief are: American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO; Equality California; Equality Federation; The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York; Mazzoni Center; National Center for Transgender Equality; National Education Association; PFLAG National; PROMO; The Trevor Project; and, Whitman-Walker Health.
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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio regularly takes midday naps in his office, making it difficult for his subordinates to get things done, former aides say.
De Blasio reportedly wears himself out during his morning exercise routine at a Brooklyn gym, rendering him unable to move on with the day before taking a siesta.
“He would arrive at 10 a.m. after working out and then would be napping,” one ex-staffer told the NY Post.
The NYC Mayor is unconcerned about how his naps will be received by his staff, according to another source who told the NY Post de Blasio’s sleeping habits are “pretty widely known within the building.”
“He would tell his front-office staff: ‘Don’t bother me for the next 30, 45 minutes. I’m going to take a nap,'” the source said.
The frequent naps, which former staffers attribute to de Blasio’s insistence on waking up early to travel 12 miles to a Park Slope YMCA, disrupt work flow in City Hall, they say.
The Mayor’s commitment to making the trip to Brooklyn each morning drew charges of hypocrisy after he signed an executive order affirming New York City’s commitment to uphold the standards outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement.
“How about you stepping up your game and leading by example (by) getting out of your SUV armada?” energy-policy expert Charles Komanoff challenged de Blasio during his weekly appearance on WNYC radio in June.
De Blasio dismissed the criticism as “cheap symbolism.”
“We couldn’t plan our days that first year at City Hall,” the former staffer said. “Regardless of what you think of [previous Mayor Michael] Bloomberg, that guy was professional. Now, we’ve got this incompetence.”
The Democratic Mayor’s insistence on daytime sleep is nothing new according to one former staffer who worked on de Blasio’s campaign in 2009.
“Two o’clock, 3 o’clock would come around, and he would go home and take a nap,” the former staffer said. “By the third time, people were like, ‘Oh, for crying out loud. It’s a campaign. We’re not sleeping.'”
“He feels entitled to take a nap,” the source added.
De Blasio’s sleep patterns made headlines in 2014 when he infamously blamed his late arrival to a memorial service for the 265 people killed in the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 on lack of sleep.
Mayoral spokesman Eric Phillips did not deny de Blasio has ever napped on the job but told the NY Post that “the suggestion that the mayor’s regularly napping is absurd and untrue.”
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Adem Altan, AFP | Turkey's president has picked a fight with EU leaders as he campaigns for a referendum that could grant him sweeping new powers..
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday Turkey may hold a second referendum on whether to continue with European Union accession talks, following a planned vote on April 16 that could give him sweeping new powers.
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"Right now we are holding a referendum on April 16 and after that we could choose to do a second one on the (EU) accession talks and we would abide by whatever our people would say there," Erdogan told a joint forum with Britain in the southern city of Antalya.
His comments came a day after he vowed to review all political and administrative ties with the EU, including a deal to curb illegal migration, but it would maintain economic relations with the bloc.
Turkey's relations with the EU countries have soured over the past few months after Germany and the Netherlands cancelled planned campaign rallies on their territories by Turkish officials seeking to drum up support among expatriate Turks for a "yes" vote in the April referendum.
Both countries cited security concerns for their decisions, but Erdogan has accused them of using "Nazi methods" and trampling on free speech, comments infuriating several EU governments and deepening the row.
"Turkey has waited at the door (of the EU) for 54 years," he said, referring to 1963 when Ankara partnered up with the bloc's then economic union.
Turkey's accession talks with the EU began in 2005 but have progressed at a snail's pace due to concerns over its human rights record, ethnically-split Cyprus, and reluctance among some European countries to admit a largely Muslim nation.
Turkey is an integral part of a deal to keep hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants fleeing the Middle East and beyond from moving to Europe, in return for 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) in EU financial aid to Ankara.
(REUTERS)
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A writer who tried to identify the "better ingredients" in Papa John's pizza says she was shut down by the company.
Melanie Warner from US News And World Report says she was curious about the ingredients Papa John's has advertised for so long.
While packaged product companies have to disclose ingredients, restaurants don't, Warner writes.
Still, chains like Taco Bell, McDonald's, and Subway voluntarily provide the information.
Warner went to her local Boulder Papa John's and asked an employee for more information about the ingredients. He directed her to the company's website, but ingredients aren't listed online either.
Finally, Warner left messages with various company representatives but says no one got back to her.
She did gain some insight from a worker named Charlie, however, who told her that the company's "never frozen" mantra is bogus:
"We get deliveries in every three days, so nothing that's in the fridge is more than a few days old. And we form the dough here. It doesn't come ready to go, though it is made in a central facility and then frozen," he told Warner.
Papa John's competitor Pizza Hut has also tried to debunk the "better ingredients" claim.
Pizza Hut sued in 1998, claiming that Papa John's was falsely advertising. A jury sided with Pizza Hut, and the judge demanded Papa John's stop using its slogan.
But Papa John's took the ruling to an appeals court in 2000 and won.
Papa John's defense was that "the ads did not make false statements but instead were statements of personal taste—what pizza tastes like, which kinds taste better," the Associated Press reported at the time.
Pizza Hut took the issue all the way to the Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case without comment.
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The Illinois Supreme Court ruled today in Rosenbach v. Six Flags, a case about a state privacy law that protects biometric data. Parents sued the theme park after it collected a child's fingerprints, charging a violation of the Illinois biometric privacy law. The theme park claimed that it was necessary to show some additional harm, but the Illinois Court held that when companies violate the law, "the injury is real and significant." EPIC filed a "friend of the court" brief in the case, arguing that the biometric privacy law "imposes clear responsibilities on companies that collect biometric identifiers" and that if these provisions are "not enforced, the statute's subsequent provisions are of little consequence." EPIC has long advocated for strict limits on use of biometric data. EPIC also filed an amicus brief the OPM data breach, a case that concerned the breach of 5.1 million fingerprints, precisely the same biometric data at issue in this case.
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TRIPOLI, LEBANON - With peeling paint and crumbling plasterwork, an abandoned picture house and its renovation in the northern Lebanese town of Tripoli is more than a dream for Qassem Istanbouli.
The 31-year-old has reopened three such cinemas, two in his home city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, and another in Nabatiyeh, and has transformed them into hubs for film, art and theater.
“When I embarked on this journey, I felt I shared this dream with people in my city who are eager to have a cultural life restored,” said Istanbouli, who shows films by directors such as Woody Allen, Pedro Almodovar, David Lynch and Lars Von Trier.
Qassem Istanbouli and another man look at old post Qassem Istanbouli and another man look at old posters in Al-Ahram, a derelict cinema in Tripoli, Lebanon, July 5, 2017. Qassem Istanbouli and another man look at old posters in Al-Ahram, a derelict cinema in Tripoli, Lebanon, July 5, 2017.
Istanbouli, who was born in Tyre and studied fine arts and directing at the Lebanese University, initially relied on a bank loan and donations from the public for his projects but now gets financial support from the Lebanese ministry of culture, a Dutch NGO and the United Nations force in Lebanon.
Istanbouli’s dream is also driven by a family connection, his father used to repair cinema projectors, while his grandfather screened movies from Greece and the Palestinian territories, projecting them on a wall.
“This is a way to achieve my father’s dream,” he said.
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On September 29, multimedia news agency ANI published an article on Pakistan PM’s wife Bushra Bibi with the caption, “Pakistan’s first lady Bushra Bibi’s image does not appear in mirrors: PM House staff”. While quoting an unnamed member of PM House staff, ANI reported that Pakistan’s first lady’s image does not appear in mirrors. The report was based on a screenshot of Pakistan’s Capital TV which reads, “پی ایم ہاؤس کے ٹاف کے مطابق خاتون اول کا آئینے میں عکس نظر نہیں آتا (According to PM House staff, Image of the first lady not seen be seen in the mirror.)”
Pakistan’s first lady Bushra Bibi’s image does not appear in mirrors: PM House staff Read @ANI story | https://t.co/H5eej6qq6R pic.twitter.com/b4Q17GIWu1 — ANI Digital (@ani_digital) September 29, 2019
The article which was also tweeted by ANI editor Smita Prakash is now deleted. After taking it down, ANI published another article titled, “Twitterati divided over reports that Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi’s image doesn’t form in mirrors.”
Twitterati divided over reports that Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi’s image doesn’t form in mirrors Read @ANI story | https://t.co/W7cUTFdyyH pic.twitter.com/go42zqmOyE — ANI Digital (@ani_digital) September 29, 2019
Here they claimed, “Even as some Pakistani journalists alleged that the picture is photoshopped, a Pakistani source said that the news was actually run by the tv channel before being pulled off-air.”
What is the truth? Did Capital TV report any such news?
While searching for the report by Capital TV, Alt News came across several tweets by the channel calling out ANI and denying that they had published any such report. In one of the tweets, Capital TV blamed ANI and their “irresponsible journalism” for using a “photoshopped poster” with Capital TV’s template.
In another tweet, Capital TV claimed that their administration had already filed a complaint with the FIA about a fake poster when it was circulated a year ago. While speaking to the anchor, Director of Capital TV, Naushad Ali had mentioned that they had filed a complaint with FIA Cyber Crime Wing last year.
While searching for older reports, Alt News came across a tweet by a Journalist Aniqa Nisar of Capital TV on Oct 1, 2018, saying no such news was aired by the channel. She had also tweeted that they had filed a complaint with FIA Cyber Crime Wing.
For everyone who’s been asking. This is #FakeNews , I gave no beeper on any such news and rest assured no such irresponsible news was aired by @CapitalTV_News pic.twitter.com/MglPJRfXzz — Aniqa Nisar (@AniqaNisar) September 30, 2018
We found another 2018 tweet by Capital TV which shared a copy of the complaint in FIA‘s Cyber-Crime Wing against those “spreading false and absurd news”.
📺#CapitalTV files complaint in #FIA‘s Cyber-Crime Wing against those misusing its logo and branding and spreading the false and absurd news 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/iKrYB1OuQP — Capital TV (@CapitalTV_News) October 1, 2018
Misinformation by ANI later picked up by several media outlets
Times Now had published an article with a similar headline, “Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s wife Bushra bibi’s reflection can’t be seen in a mirror, claims report.”
Times Now also published an article in Hindi.
Both their reports have been updated without a clarification that the channel had earlier published misinformation.
Several other Hindi media outlets had also carried similar stories – Aaj Tak, Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, TV9 Bharatvarsh and Loksatta. The Indian Express published a report in Bengali based on the ANI article.
TV9 Bharatvarsh tweeted “इमरान की ‘अदृश्य बेगम’ पाकिस्तान में वायरल है! देखिए आज रात 8:30 बजे @TV9Bharatvarsh पर”
The misinformation was also shared by propaganda website OpIndia and MyNation. The former later modified their report, including its title.
In conclusion, a piece of misinformation travelled in the media and subsequently to millions of viewers after a misinformed report was published by ANI and later picked up by other media outlets.
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We’ve seen a plethora of enhancements in technology at the Walt Disney World parks over the last few years. From physical media like MagicBands to apps like My Disney Experience, Disney has been implementing new technologies to make every guest’s experiences more seamless and enjoyable.
Of course, there’s technology that we can bring ourselves to make our trips better. Smart phones have become indispensable tools for a smooth and well organized vacation. With apps like Touring Plans’ mobile Lines app, not to mention the ability to Google nearly anything you could need to know about the parks, our smart phones give us access to whatever information we may need during our trips.
Beyond the necessary information like FastPass+ times and restaurant locations, there’s a lot somebody might wonder while wandering through the parks. When did Mission: Space open? What used to be where Stitch’s Great Escape now stands? When did Kilimanjaro Safaris remove the poacher story from the attraction?
For me, Google is a constant companion. The answer to nearly anything is only ever a few clicks away. Several months ago, I applied to be a Google Glass Explorer. A wearable Google device, Google Glass is still in beta testing and has yet to be released to the mass market. You can either wear attached to an admittedly goofy looking visor or on a pair of Google Glass glasses frames. I chose the latter to look a little less like Geordi or Cyclopes. I was accepted into the beta program and received my Google Glass shortly after.
Since it arrived, I’ve been dying to test it out at Walt Disney World. While the list of available apps (called “Glassware” on Google Glass) is still rather limited, there are several apps and features that I had imagined would come in handy during my next trip.
While there has been a lot of commentary on how Google Glass might just be further distracting users, I’ve actually found wearing Glass to be the opposite. The augmented reality is fairly unobtrusive, much less so than looking down at my phone to find information. If anything, Glass has allowed me to be more “in the moment”, rather than pausing to grab my camera or phone.
In July, my mom and I headed down to Disney to see what Google Glass has to offer as a Disney vacation companion.
Camera & Video
The Explorer Edition of Google Glass has a 5 megapixel camera and records 720p video. When it comes to cameras, these days 5 mp is just okay. In comparison, a Samsung Galaxy S4’s camera is 13mp and an iPhone 5’s camera is 8. However, Google Glass takes high dynamic range photos, which simply put means the colors of the photos look much more like what the human eye sees. The photos are vivid, and despite the lower resolution, they still look pretty great.
The greatest thing about the Glass’s camera, however, is the ease of access and how quickly you can snap a picture. There are two ways to take a photo with glass. You can either use the voice command, “OK Glass, take a picture,” or you can press the small button located on the top of the device. However, there is no zoom feature and no flash, so you’re sacrificing both of those aspects for speed.
It’s the speed that makes Glass’s camera so great on a Disney trip. There’s no fumbling to get a digital camera or a smart phone out. You can capture an unexpected character sighting, some custodial water art before it fades away, or the fireworks during Dream Along With Mickey, all without missing a beat.
Speaking of fireworks, I was stationed on Main Street when I did the Disney College Program. I would see hundreds of people gather to watch Wishes each night I worked. Every show—without fail—I could see at least a handful of people watching the fireworks through a tiny digital screen as they recorded the show on their device.
I’ll admit, I’m guilty of having done this in the past. I think most of us are guilty of this in some capacity; recording a concert, a birthday, or a recital without every taking our eyes of the screen and actually seeing it happen.
With Google Glass, this isn’t a problem. You either use the voice command “OK Glass, record a video,” or hold down the button on the top, and it begins taking a video. Again, Glass beats out any other device with how quickly you can start recording. The greatest part, however, is that you’re getting to watch the moment without the barrier of a screen. You are simultaneously in the moment and preserving it for later.
As Suzanne mentioned in the comments, I forgot to write about Glass’ ability to post photos directly to your social media like Facebook and Twitter. Combined with the speak-to-type feature, you can add descriptions to the photos as you upload them. I tested this feature only once (I don’t share too much on Twitter of Facebook) but it is an amazing feature if you’d like to let people back home see how your trip is going.
Itinerary
I am a devout Google Calendar user. Without it, I’d never make any of my appointments. Google Glass syncs with your Google account, so all of your calendar updates show up on glass. I decided to use this to keep my trip itinerary.
On my laptop, I entered my FASTPASS+ times and locations on Google Calendar before my trip. In the event page, I set it to send me a re
minder 10 minutes before my FASTPASS+ time was to begin. I didn’t make any dinner reservations on this trip, but the concept would have been the same.
For example, on the evening of our first day, my mom asked what our first FASTPASS+ time was for the next morning. Using Glass, I was able to pull up the answer without stopping as we made our way through Fantasyland. Glass’s display hovers in the upper right hand corner of your field of vision, so you’re able to glance up to find your information. I was able to see that our first FASTPASS+ the next day would be for Festival of the Lion King at 11:30.
Lists
I’m an avid pin trader & collector. I have a cork board at home with all my different sets on it, and a lanyard that I wear to the parks. Whenever I’m in the park, though, I can never remember which ones it is that I’m still missing. For example, I’ve been working on completing the two different alphabet sets for several years because I just can’t remember which ones are left to collect when my board is back at home.
Enter the Evernote app. Evernote is note taking app that helps you keep all of your notes organized, and can be accessed through your phone or computer. Evernote is also available as Glassware. Before my trip to Disney, I’d mostly been using it for my grocery shopping list. I decided to put it to better use to keep track of the missing pins I still needed. For the Alphabet sets, it was D, E and T for the letter set, J and X for the circle set. Whenever I approached a cast member to trade pins, I was able to pull up my Evernote pin list to see what it was I needed as I surveyed their lanyard.
Obviously, there are so many more uses for Glass’s Evernote glassware. I also used it to store a shopping list of souvenirs friends and family had asked me to bring back; a lollypop from the Confectionery for a friend’s son, the Tangled soundtrack for my sister, an art print for my roommate, etc. You can also create notes on the fly using Glass’s voice recognition. If something happens in the park you don’t want to forget, you’d be able to make a note of it as you continue to walk.
F ield Trip
Field Trip is a nifty new Android app that gives you interesting information about your surroundings. Using your device’s GPS, it pulls up pertinent articles from a variety of sources about your current location. While visiting Disney’s Beach & Yacht Club, we walked to the beach to look across the bay at the BoardWalk. Field Trip recognized my location and gave me an article about the BoardWalk’s history. As you can see in the picture, I was able to read a brief history of the Boardwalk as we made our way to Beaches and Cream for a sundae.
Weather
Glass has a standard weather app that shows you the current temperature, the high and low for the day, and the chance of precipitation. You can also install Weather Alert, an app to warn you of approaching severe weather.
Photo Spots
Glass provides you with information about and directions to nearby popular photo spots. As I entered the Magic Kingdom, it told me how to get to Cinderella Castle to take a photo. While slightly unnecessary for the larger attractions, it did point out a few lesser known spots.
Nearby Attractions
Again, this feature is somewhat unnecessary considering if you’ve made it to Disney World property, you’re probably aware that there is more than one park…Nevertheless, it provided pertinent information and directions to each of the parks on property. It also pulled up results for other Orlando attractions such as SeaWorld and Universal Studios.
Final Thoughts
When you wear Glass out in public, you get a lot of questions and even more strange looks. One question I’m asked fairly often is “Is Google Glass worth it?” The Explorer Edition Google Glass will set you back $1,500, and while Google claims the market release will be around $400-$300, my answer is still “it’s not worth it yet.”
Glass has potential, but currently there is not enough Glassware. At this time, there are just enough applications to make it a fun travel companion, but it isn’t quite the indispensable tool my smartphone is. In fact, I left it in the room two out of our five days there and solely used my phone. That being said, I did miss having Glass after spending the first few days in the parks with it. Watching the Frozen Summer Fun sing-along show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I kept thinking “I wish I had the Glass with me so I could record this and still watch!”
Another reason Glass quite isn’t ready to be your go-to travel tool is the abysmal battery life. Entering the park at 10:00 AM and leaving by 3:00 PM, the battery was on its last legs at 6%. I hunted down the cellphone charging lockers in the Space Mountain gift shop earlier in the day, but Glass was too large to fit inside the phone-sized slots, and it wasn’t quite worth sacrificing the time to sit at an outlet to charge it.
All in all, I was very glad to have Google Glass during my trip, but it’s not something I would say greatly improved my Disney experience. Until there’s more Glassware, a better camera and an extended battery life, my smartphone will continue to be my go-to travel gadget.
Paige is a senior at Purdue University. This is her first article for the TouringPlans blog.
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Motorola announced the Moto 360 back in June at Google I/O. Prior to its release, LG announced the LG G Watch R and it looked like Motorola may have lost the circular Android Wear edge. After using the LG G Watch R for a week, I don't think Motorola has anything to worry about.
LG's first Android Wear device was the LG G Watch, which took a fairly basic approach to Android Wear with a simple rubber band and a chunky square watch face. It is a decent smartwatch, but overpriced at $229. Also, with the second generation of Android Wear supporting heart rate monitoring, offline music, and more, I don't see any reason to pick one of these up.
LG's second Android Wear entry LG G Watch R offers improvements over the G Watch, but it's still a bit of a tough sell at $299.
Hardware
The LG G Watch R looks like a standard watch and that alone may have customers picking it up. On the other hand, I like having discussions with people about the devices I use so something more unique, like the Moto 360, appeals to me.
The LG G Watch R has a thick bezel around the display with incremental time lines every five minutes and 15, 30, and 45 stamped around it. The bezel does not rotate like standard watches that have such bezels and the backwards 30 bothers me.
There is a crown on the right side that takes the watch out of standby and also lets you access the settings with a press and hold.
The plastic OLED display looks fantastic and I really like the way that the standby screen shows me a minimized watch face that is perfectly usable for telling the time. Unliked the Moto 360, the display is set down in the bezel a bit so it has some protection from bumps too. The display is vibrant and clear. It is also a complete circle where the Moto 360 has a "flat tire" at the bottom for sensors.
A heart rate monitor is placed at the center of the back with the charging dock connectors on the left side. It accurately monitored my heart rate throughout the day and with its waterproof rating the LG G Watch R could be used for exercise. A special, custom charging dock is provided with power provided via microUSB.
The included leather strap is a bit stiff out of the box, but has already started to contour and fit better after a week. The LG G Watch R uses standard 22 mm band posts so you can swap out your own band as you like.
It weighs about the same as the Moto 360 and sits well on my wrist. I found it comfortable to wear and think it is an attractive watch for the most part.
Software
The LG G Watch R runs Android Wear and that experience is the same on all of these Android Wear watches. LG has quite a few functional and attractive watch face options, but unlike the Moto 360 there is no Android companion app that lets you customize the watch face.
Android Wear does a good job with notifications, voice control, and the Google Now experience, but there are a few issues with this software. I have yet to find a way to acknowledge all Google Now cards at once and when I ignore the watch for a while and come back to it I tire of all the swiping to clear out the queue.
Unlike the Microsoft Band (see my first impressions of it), after you dismiss a notification there is no way to see it again on the watch.
Final thoughts on the LG G Watch R
If you want an Android Wear smartwatch that looks like a regular watch, then the LG G Watch R is a great option. It feels great on the wrist, has a crisp and clear display, has battery life that will get you through at least one full day, and provides a solid Android Wear experience.
The $299 price is tough to swallow, but if you look at standard watches then it doesn't seem as bad. However, standard watches don't die after a day and battery life is one area where Android Wear suffers across the board.
I personally prefer the Moto 360 for the following reasons:
Standard wireless charging : The LG G Watch R requires a proprietary dock so if it dies on you without this available you are out of luck. The Moto 360 uses the Qi standard so as long as you have wireless docks around you can charge it up.
: The LG G Watch R requires a proprietary dock so if it dies on you without this available you are out of luck. The Moto 360 uses the Qi standard so as long as you have wireless docks around you can charge it up. Moto Connect app : The Connect Android smartphone app lets you customize watch faces, enter your health profile, and find your watch on a map. The standard Android Wear app is available for the LG G Watch R.
: The Connect Android smartphone app lets you customize watch faces, enter your health profile, and find your watch on a map. The standard Android Wear app is available for the LG G Watch R. Full screen experience : The Moto 360 display goes all the way out to the edge of the watch and looks fantastic. While the LG G Watch R has a full round display, I don't like how it sets back in the watch and has a thick bezel around it.
: The Moto 360 display goes all the way out to the edge of the watch and looks fantastic. While the LG G Watch R has a full round display, I don't like how it sets back in the watch and has a thick bezel around it. Leather band: The leather band on the Moto 360 feels fantastic right out of the box. The LG G Watch R is stiff and not as distinct.
Buying a watch is an even more personal experience than buying a smartphone so everyone's opinions about them are different. Again, if you want an Android Wear watch that looks like a standard watch, then you may find the LG G Watch R to be perfect for you.
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"There is something so cute about baby accessories that look like an adult could wear the same style. I love the mini me look and Nene Shoes has perfected it."
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SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL
The Gamecocks got good news Sunday with Rico Dowdle, it looks like.
Will Muschamp said the training staff isn't overly worried about Rico Dowdle and the ankle he injured late in Saturday's win over Kentucky, saying they feel he should be fine moving forward.
Also see: Updates from Sunday's baseball scrimmage
Muschamp said Dowdle may not practice Tuesday when the Gamecocks reconviene for bye week practice but could resume practicing as early as Wednesday.
Dowdle said after the game he felt fine and it was just a case where he got rolled up on.
Muschamp also said Caleb Kinlaw is dealing with a shoulder injury and he'll know more about the severity of it later this week.
Also see: Latest recruiting scoop
Dylan Wonnum is out for the next three or four weeks with an ankle injury.
Hank Manos had surgery on his ankle this week and will miss the next four weeks recovering from that.
Dakereon Joyner will stay on crutches the next two days and likely won't practice this week but the coaches are expecting him to be back for the Georgia game two weeks from now.
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On October 11, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the long-running Apple-Samsung litigation. The issue is whether Apple, by virtue of having its design patents infringed by Samsung, is entitled to all of Samsung’s profits made from the infringing phones (regardless of how much that design contributed to the value of the phone).
This case—in which EFF submitted an amicus brief arguing the award of Samsung’s total profit is improper—is important for many reasons. But one reason stands out: it is trivially easy to get a design patent on trivial designs and, unless the Supreme Court changes the law, that can lead to anything-but-trivial awards in court.
This month’s stupid patent, a design patent, shows just how broken the current system of design patents is. Design patents, unlike the utility patents we usually feature, consist only of a single claim followed by pictures. It is generally the pictures that inform the public as to what is claimed. Importantly, in a design patent only the features drawn in solid lines are claimed. Anything in dotted lines is generally not part of the claim.
U.S. Patent D767,583, issued on September 27, 2016, is a patent on a design for a “display screen portion with graphical user interface.” Here, the claim is to “the ornamental design for a display screen portion with graphical user interface, as shown and described.” As most design patent owners do, the patent also makes clear that “the broken line showing of the display screen in the figure forms no part of the claimed design.” Below is the sole picture from the patent showing the patented design:
The only thing claimed in this design patent are the three rectangles at the top and the square beneath them. This patent is both remarkably trivial and remarkably easy to be accused of infringing. Someone who arranges three rectangles in a row with a square underneath in the way shown in the image is potentially infringing this patent. (The test for whether a design patent is infringed is described in a case called Egyptian Goddess, and is based on what an “ordinary observer” thinks and often involves a comparison to the prior art.) For example, here is an excerpt from the USPTO’s home page, showing three rectangles and something that looks close to a square beneath it:
To be clear, this patent would likely not be infringed if someone arranged three rectangles and a square in a different way (say, if the rectangles were arranged vertically instead of horizontally), and the USPTO itself may not infringe as the prior art would likely narrow this patent significantly.
But even the possibility of a finding of infringement may be enough to cause concern for many people who may be accused of infringing a design patent. That’s because under current law, if someone is found to infringe a design patent, the patent owner can argue that it is entitled to all of the profits from that website.
The Supreme Court has a chance to fix this last issue in the upcoming Apple-Samsung decision. But that won’t change the fact that the Patent Office still issues patents on trivial designs at an alarming rate. This latest patent is just another in a long line of questionable patents.
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Researchers Reveal Details Of Printer Tracking Dots, Develop Free Software To Defeat It
from the whistleblowers-of-the-world,-rejoice,-but-still-be-careful dept
As Techdirt has reported previously in the case of Reality Leigh Winner, most modern color laser printers place tiny yellow tracking dots on every page printed -- what Wikipedia calls "printer steganography". The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) first started warning about this sneaky form of surveillance back in 2005. It published a list of printers and whether it was known that they used tracking dots. In 2017, the EFF stopped updating the list, and wrote:
It appears likely that all recent commercial color laser printers print some kind of forensic tracking codes, not necessarily using yellow dots. This is true whether or not those codes are visible to the eye and whether or not the printer models are listed here. This also includes the printers that are listed here as not producing yellow dots.
Despite the EFF's early work in exposing the practice, there has been limited information available about the various tracking systems. Two German researchers at the Technical University in Dresden, Timo Richter and Stephan Escher, have now greatly extended our knowledge about the yellow dot code (via Netzpolitik.org). As the published paper on the work explains, the researchers looked at 1286 printed pages from 141 printers, produced by 18 different manufacturers. They discovered four different encoding systems, including one that was hitherto unknown. The yellow dots formed grids with 48, 64, 69 or 98 points; using the grid to encode binary data, the hidden information was repeated multiple times across the printed page. In all cases the researchers were able to extract the manufacturer's name, the model's serial number, and for some printers the date and time of printing too.
It's obviously good to have all this new information about tracking dots, but arguably even more important is a software tool that the researchers have written, and made freely available. It can be used to obfuscate tracking information that a printer places in one of the four grid patterns, thus ensuring that the hard copy documents cannot easily be used to trace who printed them. Printer manufacturers will doubtless come up with new ways of tracking documents, and may already be using some we don't know about, but this latest work at least makes it harder with existing models.
Follow me @glynmoody on Twitter or identi.ca, and +glynmoody on Google+
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–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: forensics, printer dots, printers, sources, tracking
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Just got home after a 2 week vacation (left on Oct. 27th, home on Nov. 9th 1am) and came home to this loyal solider guarding my candy for me. It arrived on Nov. 1st and was sat untouched when I arrived home @ 1am on Nov. 9th. His dedication to the protection of my candy for over a week should be recognized. Having sat in the boxes for the week, the candy is just a little soft and gooey and tastes even better than normal. I've been a big fan of Star Wars for a long time, this dish is so f******ing cool. Thank you so much Santa!
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Tampa Bay Lightning (2nd seed, Atlantic Division) versus New York Islanders (first Eastern Conference wild card)
The Lightning reached the Stanley Cup finals in 2015 but fell short of the ultimate goal after losing to the Chicago Blackhawks. Playing in the second round is unfamiliar territory for the Islanders, who won their first playoff series since 1993. This will be an interesting series. Lighting coach Jon Cooper's group once again is playing inspired hockey despite plenty of adversity. Islanders coach Jack Capuano and the boys from Brooklyn are a gritty group and a dangerous team for the Lightning.
Keeping John Tavares contained will be the priority for the Lightning. Mike Stobe/NHLI/Getty Images
How they win
Tampa: While the Islanders' first-round series victory over the Florida Panthers ended with a double-overtime thriller in Game 6, the Lightning have been waiting, watching, resting and preparing after their first-round series win over the Detroit Red Wings concluded on April 22. The time off will serve Tampa well, as many of its top players are bruised and banged up. Because the Lightning reached the Cup finals last season, they know any extra time off this spring is welcomed. It also helps that Tampa is backstopped by goaltender Ben Bishop, who stopped 152 of 160 shots against the Red Wings. Bishop owns a 2.08 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in 30 career playoff games. Tampa needs Bishop's best performances in order to advance to a second straight conference finals.
Like in most playoff series, special teams will be key for the Lightning. Tampa's penalty kill was 24-for-25 in the first round. On the power play, the Lightning went 4-for-23. The power play will be important because Tampa scored only eight even-strength goals against the Red Wings. Without captain Steven Stamkos, who remains sidelined after surgery to remove a blood clot in his shoulder, the once-exiled Jonathan Drouin played extremely well in the first round and will need to continue his strong play.
New York: The never-say-die Islanders earned three overtime victories in the first round against the Panthers. That determination and passion needs to continue against an opponent with more postseason experience. Islanders captain John Tavares was outstanding in the first round. The organization's all-time leader in regular-season overtime goals (eight) scored two against the Panthers. He'll need to continue to be the best player on the ice for the Islanders to beat the Lightning. He enters the series with five goals and four assists for nine points this postseason. In his past 12 games, dating back to March 31, he has 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points. Goaltender Thomas Greiss was solid in the first round. He combined for 88 saves in Games 5 and 6. If he can maintain that level of success, it will be an entertaining battle between Bishop and him.
How they lose
Tampa: Health could be a factor for the Lightning. The flu recently wreaked havoc in the locker room and a handful of players were sick during Game 5 against the Red Wings, but the time off has helped them get better. Already without Stamkos, Cooper is waiting to see if veteran defenseman Anton Stralman (broken leg) will be available at some point. The speedy Islanders could take advantage of Tampa's blue-line corps that won't have the solid defensive pairing of Stralman and Victor Hedman. It's also not known if forward J.T. Brown (upper body) will be available this series. Forward Tyler Johnson is banged-up too. Without Stamkos' production (37 goals during the regular season), the Lightning struggled offensively in the first round, scoring 12 goals against the Red Wings -- and Nikita Kucherov had five of them. Depth could become an issue for the Lightning.
Solving Ben Bishop will be the key to success for the Islanders. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
New York: The Islanders' lack of postseason experience could be a factor. As unbelievable as he's been since starter Jaroslav Halak was injured, Greiss could be exposed against an offensively talented team like the Lightning (if Tampa produces). He made timely saves in the first round and was able to control his rebounds. If he allows those second chances, though, Tampa will pounce all over them.
Fancy stats
27 minutes
Without Stralman in the defensive mix for the Lightning, Hedman, who should be among those considered for the Norris Trophy, averaged 27 minutes per game in the first round. His ice time should remain the same, or even increase, as the postseason progresses.
Series MVP
Tampa: Ben Bishop. Ben Bishop. Ben Bishop. Did we mention the importance of Ben Bishop? He was a major reason the Lightning reached the finals in 2015, and if they can advance past the second round, it will be on the shoulders of 29-year-old goaltender. He owns a 17-12 record in 30 career postseason games, including four shutouts.
New York: Tavares, 25, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, is showcasing his talent at the most important time of the season. He was outstanding in the first round and has been producing for the last month. In his past 12 games, dating back to March 31, he has 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points. He'll need more of that in the second round and beyond if the Islanders can get there.
Bottom line
The Islanders could be the Cinderella team that pulls off this upset. Not many thought they had a chance against the Panthers, but the Islanders played inspiring hockey en route to victory. Without Stamkos and Stralman, and based on the Lightning's emotional run to the finals last spring, Tampa could run out of gas in this series. Either way, it will be entertaining and will go the distance. When the final buzzer sounds in Game 7, it will be the Islanders that will advance to the Eastern Conference finals. Islanders in 7.
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For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter.
After President Trump appointed Mick Mulvaney to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in November, consumer advocates expressed concern that the former South Carolina congressman had a glaring conflict of interest: while the CFPB is tasked with regulating payday lenders—companies which target low-income borrowers for high-interest loans—Mulvaney has long been an ally of the industry. Between 2011 and 2017, he received nearly $60,000 in campaign donations from payday lenders, and sponsored several bills to loosen their supervision.
The company’s PAC also gave at least $4,500 to Mulvaney’s congressional campaigns.
On Monday, Mulvaney’s agency quietly closed a four-year investigation into World Acceptance Corporation, a payday lender that is among Mulvaney’s past campaign donors, according to the International Business Times. The move offers the latest indication that Mulvaney is reshaping the agency’s approach to regulating such lenders; last week, the CFPB announced that it would “reconsider” an Obama-era rule that sought to curb predatory practices by the industry, and dropped an April 2017 lawsuit it had filed against four payday lenders in Kansas. (The CFPB did not reply to a request for comment.)
World Acceptance Corporation announced the investigation’s close in a Monday press release that claimed it had received a letter from the CFPB saying that the investigation was complete and that the agency had decided against enforcement action. The company’s PAC also gave at least $4,500 in donations to Mulvaney’s congressional campaigns between 2013 and 2016.
“It definitely seems that Mulvaney is doing what he can to make life easier for payday lenders, which is completely contrary to what almost everybody in America thinks should happen,” said Diane Standaert, executive vice president for the Center for Responsible Lending.
In recent days, Mulvaney has signaled a broader overhaul of the CFPB. Last week he sent a letter to the Federal Reserve requesting no funding for the agency over the next three months, saying it would instead spend down emergency reserves amassed by Obama’s CFPB director, Richard Cordray. On Tuesday, Mulvaney also sent a memo to the CFPB staff outlining a new vision for the agency. In drawing a contrast with his predecessor, Mulvaney wrote that the agency would no longer “push the envelope” to achieve its mission, he wrote.
“We don’t just work for the government, we work for the people,” he wrote. “And that means everyone: those who use credit cards, and those who provide those cards; those who take loans, and those who make them; those who buy cars, and those who sell them. All of those people are part of what makes this country great, and all of them deserve to be treated fairly by their government. There is a reason that Lady Justice wears a blindfold and carries a balance, along with her sword.”
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This first appeared in The Libertarian Forum, Volume X, NO.6, June, 1977
As everyone knows, the West, and especially northern California, has been suffering from a year-long drought, leading numerous statists and busybodies to leap in to control, ration, and ordain. The water “shortage” may not be exactly blamed on the private sector, but it is there, supposedly, and surely government must leap in to combat it—not, of course, by creating more water, but by mucking up the distribution of the greater scarcity.
The first thing to be said about this is that on the free market, regardless of the stringency of supply, there is never any “shortage”, that is, there is never a condition where a purchaser cannot find supplies available at the market price. On the free market, there is always enough supply available to satisfy demand. The clearing mechanism is fluctuations in price. If, for example, there is an orange blight, and the supply of oranges declines, there is then an increasing scarcity of oranges, and the scarcity, is “rationed” voluntarily to the purchasers by the uncoerced rise in price, a rise sufficient to equalize supply and demand. If, on the other hand, there is an improvement in the orange crop, the supply increases, oranges are relatively less scarce, and the price of oranges falls consumers are induced to purchase the increased supply. The Complete Libertari... Murray N. Rothbard Check Amazon for Pricing.
Note that all goods and services are scarce, and the progress of the economy consists in rendering them relatively less scarce, so that their prices decline. Of course, some goods can never increase in supply. The supply of Rembrandts, for example, is exceedingly scarce, and can never be increased—barring the arrival of a Perfect Forger. The price of Rembrandts is high, of course, but no one has ever complained about a “Rembrandt shortage.” They have not, because the price of Rembrandts is allowed to fluctuate freely without interference from the iron hand of government. But suppose that the government, in its wisdom, should one day proclaim that no Rembrandts can be sold for less than $1000—severe maximum price control on the paintings. We can rest assured that, if the decree were taken seriously at all, a severe Rembrandt shortage would promptly develop, accompanied by black markets, bribery, and all the rest of the paraphernalia of price control.
If the water industry were free and competitive, the response to a drought would be very simple: water would rise in price. There would be griping about the increase in water prices, no doubt, but there would be no “shortage”, and no need or call for the usual baggage of patriotic hoopla, calls for conservation, altruistic pleas for sacrifice to the common good, and all the rest. But, of course, the water industry is scarcely free; on the contrary, water is almost everywhere in the U.S. the product and service of a governmental monopoly.
When the drought hit northern California, raising the price of water to the full extent would have been unthinkable; accusations would have been hurled of oppressing the poor, of selfishness, and all the rest. The result has been a crazy-quilt patchwork of compulsory water rationing, accompanied by a rash of patrioteering ecological exhortation: “Conserve! Conserve! Don’t water your lawns! Shower with a friend! Don’t flush the toilet!” For a New Liberty: The... Murray Rothbard Best Price: $3.99 Buy New $6.49 (as of 05:35 EST - Details)
Well, the amusing aspect of all this is that these imbecile exhortations were as manna from heaven to the wealthy liberal elitist ecofreak population of the San Francisco Bay Area. The California water authorities were hoping and shooting for a decline of about 25% in 1977 water consumption as compared to 1976. But, lo and behold, in late June, the figures rolled in and it turned out that Bay Area communities had responded by voluntarily cutting their water consumption by 40-50%.
The “morality” of the Bay Area masses had exceeded everyone’s expectations. But what was the reaction to this onrush of patriotic altruism and self-sacrifice? Oddly enough, it was mixed and ambivalent—thereby pointing up in a most amusing way some of the inner contradictions of statism. For suddenly, many of the local governmental water districts, including San Francisco’s, realized that dammit! they were losing revenue! Now, water shortage is all well and good, but there is nothing more important to a bureaucrat and his organization than their income. And so the local California water districts began to scream: “No, no, you fools, you’ve ‘over-conserved.’” (To a veteran anti-ecologist such as myself, the coining of the new term “over-conserving” was music to my ears.) The water districts began to shout that people have conserved too much, and that they should spend more, for which they were sternly chastised by the state water authorities, who accused the municipal groups of “sabotaging” the water conservation program.
Meanwhile, other local ecologists and statists got into the act. They groused that the over-conservation had induced people not to water their lawns, which led to the “visual pollution” “unsightly” lawns, and also caused the dried leaves to become fire hazards, which is apparently another ecological no-no. Man, Economy, and Stat... Murray N. Rothbard Best Price: $23.43 Buy New $29.95 (as of 08:10 EST - Details)
I can see it now: a debate within the wealthy liberal ecofreak community: Mr. A.: “Dammit, you’ve over-conserved water; your lawns are visual pollutants, and your dry leaves are endangering the environment through fire.” Mr. B.: “You’re a blankety-blank no-good sellout water waster. You guys have been urging me for years to conserve, and now I’m doing it and all I get is hassle.”
The culminating irony has been the reaction of the local water districts to the “threat” of “over-conservation” of water and the consequent loss of revenue to the governmental water districts. The response of the Bay Area districts was: “Sorry folks, we have to raise the price of water in order to maintain the beloved revenue of the water district (us.)” So, “over” conservation has led to an increase in the price of water. It is intriguing that raising the price of water in order to ration increased scarcity is universally considered to be reactionary, selfish, and Neanderthal, while raising the price of water in order to keep governmental water district revenues at their former level is considered perfectly legitimate, and barely worth commenting on. And so, the water price goes up anyway, though for the wrong reason and of course not in order to clear the market.
The most amusing aspect of this California water caper was the argument of a water district apologist on San Francisco television:
Q. But wouldn’t the poor be hurt by the water district raising its water prices?
A. No, for since everyone has cut their consumption of water, the total water bill of each poor person will not increase.
In short, the poor are not being hurt by the higher price because, being forced to cut their consumption, their total bill has not increased. Thus, a price rise by aprivate firm is always selfish and oppressive of poor people; but when a monopoly governmental agency increases its price, the poor do not suffer at all, since if they cut their purchases sufficiently in response to the higher price, their total dollar payments will not increase. It is this sort of nonsense that our statists and busybodies are now being reduced to.
Meanwhile, how is “libertarian” Milton Friedman, now resident in the San Francisco area, taking to the water crisis? Is he advocating privatization, free competition among private water companies? Is he at least advocating the setting of a market-clearing price by the government water company? The answer to all of these is, remarkably, no. In his Newsweek column, Friedman favored keeping government water rationing, but making it more efficient through a typically elaborate scheme for surcharges for consumption over a certain quota of water, to be financing rebates for consuming under the quota. Thus, once again Friedmanism descends to being an efficiency expert for statism.
The Best of Murray N. Rothbard
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According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Apple is objecting to a discovery request in a class action case against Universal Music Group that seeks the release of trial exhibits, expert reports, and depositions from former CEO Steve Jobs and Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue.
The depositions were originally given in a case between F.B.T. Productions, producers of Eminem records, and Universal Music group division Aftermath Records. That case is about to go to trial, but Apple is filing an objection to the discovery request from the class action that would alter an existing protective order, claiming the depositions and documents are “highly confidential and proprietary trade secrets.”
In its objection, Apple apparently referenced the fact that most involved in the case were sent out of the room during the depositions and claimed if released it could lead to “competitive harm”:
In support, Apple points to the fact that when the depositions were taken, many individuals, including UMG employees, were sent out of the room. And that when Jobs’ deposition was played before the jury, the judge closed the courtroom, ordered many people to leave, and had the transcripts from the trial sessions filed under seal.
The report explained that in the case between F.B.T and Aftermath, the courts previously ruled the “plaintiff was correct in asserting that a contract between the parties should be read as treating digital music as ‘licenses’ rather than ‘sales.'” The case will go to trial in the near future to determine how much that ruling is worth. Meanwhile, the judge in the class action is urging parties to request changes to a protective order on the depositions and documents they are seeking from the F.B.T case.
The class action case against UMG was brought by a number of musicians, including Rob Zombie and the Rick James’ estate, and is seeking revenues from music downloads.
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President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE’s campaign fired back on Saturday at recent reports that his 2020 reelection campaign was producing its flags in China, denying reports and viral images that suggest the contrary.
Reuters reported earlier this week that a factory in eastern China was producing thousands of “Keep America Great!” banners for Trump’s anticipated 2020 reelection bid.
Manager Yao Yuanyuan told Reuters that she was worried Trump’s own tariffs would hurt production numbers, but said she did not know if the banners' buyers were officially affiliated with the Trump campaign or the GOP.
ADVERTISEMENT
Yao said her factory has been making Trump banners since the president was a candidate.
But the Trump reelection campaign's chief operating officer, Michael Glassner, said campaign merchandise is "100% made in the USA."
"We have made it clear all along that all of our merchandise is 100% made in the USA," Glassner said in a statement to CNN. "Any vendor who claims to have a relationship with us otherwise is lying or violating our protected trademark rights."
"This applies to all of the recent fake news about Made in China products for the 2020 campaign," he added.
A similar report earlier this month found that another factory in China’s Zhejiang province is reportedly producing small blue and white flags for the reelection campaign.
The reports of the factories appear to contradict Trump’s “Buy American, Hire American” agenda amid an escalating trade war with China.
Trump in an interview last week said he’s “ready to go” with $500 billion in tariffs on China after already slapping the country with a series of steep tariffs.
The White House reportedly used Chinese-made silverware while serving refreshments at its annual Made in America Product Showcase last week, an event meant to show off American-made products.
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The Hum on the Shore
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Ten years ago, Formula One nearly wrote itself and everyone involved off from one of the biggest markets it always wanted to conquer - driven by ego and self-interests. Here is what (probably) happened.
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In 2000, Formula One was - generally speaking - more than welcome at the precious circuit, as the series and the legendary 500-mile race at the track had had shared history during the early years of the ‘continental circus’. The - more or less - only discrepancy emerging during the introduction of the United States Grand Prix to Indianapolis was the need to erect a road course in the infield of the track, which some people felt to be a sacrilege and pointed at the groin area of the newcomers, ridiculing the assumed lack of reproductive male organs for not racing on the classic oval. Due to the inherent design of F1 cars, this was never to be a plan, but the new circuit made up for some of the magic the circuit had to offer.Formula One is heading to Texas with Lewis Hamilton more than likely clinching the world title for a third time. There is much anticipation about the event, one could also say it is the most looked forward to since Formula One set a foot on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2000, following a near-decade-long absence from the country.
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The winding, slightly unimaginative infield section ran clockwise - as opposed to the oval version -, but it finished off by merging with the original track for its final turn (i.e. no. 13 - the first one on oval configuration), running amok on the main straight in the ‘wrong direction’, only to engage in heavy breaking to leave the ‘outer rim’ on a 90-degree right turn.
The effect was spectacular. It wasn’t as if it was unprecedented for American audiences, but it was slightly new to (modern) Formula One. Circuits with only slightly similar features included the Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico, the Autodormo Nazionale Monza in Italy and the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Brazil. All of them feature(d) long, fast, slightly cambered turns (funnily enough, the final one in all three cases), but the 9-degree banking of Turn 13 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was something Formula 1 had not seen in a very long time - yet it was considered relatively flat by US-standards.
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Needless to say, the 2000 US Grand Prix was a massive hit. It drew the largest-ever crowd in all of F1’s history, instantly becoming a fan-favourite and a permanent fixture on the calendar. A shocked world was watching the race the following year, less than three weeks after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11th, with the cars running very little - if no - advertisement [EDIT: at Monza].
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By 2005, the game was very different from the first race. There was much inner battle going within F1 to gain control over the series’ management by the teams, all of which failed - thanks to the de facto owner’s, Bernie Ecclestone’s impeccable survival instincts. In 2001, Michelin became the second tyre-supplier of the series next to the established Bridgestone, instantly spurring rivalry between the two. Moreover, the FIA introduced a new rule for 2005 that disallowed tyre-changes during races, forcing the manufacturers to run harder compounds, which still lead to some dramatic punctures towards the end of some races earlier in the season. To further complicate matters, the oval track was resurfaced in 2004 - after that year’s F1 race - featuring a brand new, high-grip, diamond-cut asphalt. As IMS was not an allocated venue for testing, the two tyre-manufacturers used previous year’s data as reference coming into the race for 2005, which proved to be disastrous for the French Michelin.
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The three teams using Bridgestone tyres (Ferrari, Jordan and the backmarker Minardi) turned up with a - traditionally - more conservative mixture. Also, one cannot discount the fact that Firestone, the sister company of the Jaapnese, was a regular in the Indy Racing League and they just scored a win at the 500-mile race a few weeks earlier - already on the new surface. Therefore it is possible that Bridgestone wasn’t completely in the dark when heading into the F1 race.
The rest of the teams (all seven of them), who were sporting Michelin rubber, quickly hit a wall - quite literally - when going out for the first of the Friday free practices. One of the Toyotas - driven by Ralf Schumacher - suddenly veered off from the racing line in Turn 13 and kissed the outside barrier, slowly drifting towards the pit wall on the inside - not unlike what he managed to do in the previous year. The German was visibly unhurt, putting the blame on the car with an aimed kick at the nose cone, but it was apparent he was very much shaken by the accident. He was replaced by Ricardo Zonta for the rest of the weekend, but the problems revealed something much worse than that.
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The Michelin tyre collapsed under the heavy load in the turn, only after a short stint of competitive driving. The biggest problem seemed to be that it wasn’t unique to the German’s accident. As a matter of fact, several failures on left-rear tyres were reported during the session.
Every single one of the 14 cars with Michelin rubber was in jeopardy through Turn 13.
Trying to avoid catastrophe on what seemed to be a collision course, Michelin flew new tyres in from its headquarters in France to Indianapolis, all of which turned out to be the very same compound the teams had already been using.
They were screwed.
Nevertheless, in a crude twist of irony, Ralf Schumacher’s team-mate, Jarno Trulli put his Toyota on pole position during Saturday’s qualifying.
This is where one of Formula One’s biggest scandals started.
Michelin notified the FIA - with Max Mosley sitting at home, in Monaco - about the situation and advised a chicane to be implemented just before Turn 13 to slow the cars down and to lessen tyre-load around the corner. Ferrari quickly shrugged off the matter and refused to take part in any further negotiations, claiming that it was only Michelin’s problem, but they adopted a neutral stand on the question of the chicane per se.
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Somebody else opposed the modification of the track, though. The FIA itself. Bernie Ecclestone already ordered the chicane to be built on Sunday morning, which was stopped by FIA’s race director, Charlie Whiting. The official standpoint of the FIA was that they couldn’t assist to last-minute changes to the layout of the track for safety reasons. Therefore if the teams went on with the idea of the chicane, the FIA would be forced to remove all of its staff from the race and would exclude it from the World Championship. Ferrari’s Jean Todt didn’t like the idea at all as they were very much in battle for the Constructors’ title and this was their strongest chance to bag a win for the season, finally.
The rest of the teams initially agreed to proceed with the chicane and the non-championship race - even without Ferrari if it came to that -, but an alleged threat from Max Mosley signaled that the act would put all FIA-sanctioned races in jeopardy in the US in the future.
F1 and the Michelin teams - lead by Renault’s Flavio Briatore - weren’t left out in the cold, though. Cooking up a brand new Michelin compound was already ruled out the day before, therefore the only solutions left were the reintroduction of tyre-changes for the race - as the rules permitted changing in case of fearing terminal failure -, but it was downvoted by the teams. The same way the idea of enforcing a speed limit through the corner or a drive-through the pits - with the compulsory speed limit - was dismissed at the meetings where the Bridgestone-riding Jordan and Minardi was present as well.
In effect, it turned into a political struggle with all the teams - minus Ferrari, regardless of tyre-manufacturers, gravitating around Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone - apparently uniting against the sanctioning body, the FIA, not unlike in the early 80s. The only difference being this time is that Max Mosley took the other side. A widespread boycott was announced literally within the hour of the start of the race that would have meant that either a chicane was installed and all the teams - but maybe not Ferrari - would go out and race for zero points or everything was left as it had been and it would only be Ferrari starting the race.
As the start of the race was approaching at a rapid pace, the Jordan team announced they would make it to the grid, which was followed by Minardi’s similar announcement - despite team leader Paul Stoddart being very much vocal on siding with the Michelin teams - citing the Jordan precedent and pressure from Bridgestone when making the decision, and perhaps the guaranteed points - when not failing the race - for the last team on the grid was too attractive.
Approaching the top of the hour, all the teams went out to make the grid for the start of the race. With still too much confusion in the air, no one was willing to give a straight answer, citing only the chicane issue. Minutes after the signal was given for the formation lap (with two, former Indy 500 winners in the field), the - second - worst scenario unfolded. All Michelin-equipped cars peeled off into the pits, leaving the six Bridgestone-riding vehicles on the grid. The lights were off and the strangest F1 race was a-go.
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Those in the grandstands and the many millions around the world couldn’t believe their eyes. A laughable amount of six cars were lapping the gigantic venue, four of them being no match for the front-runner Ferraris. The audience was furious, the live feed was showing people throwing bottles and beer cans on the track with brave marshals running in, collecting as much as they could. Makeshift transparents were made, wishing the FIA and Formula One hell, while others were leaving the track midway through the ‘race’.
The cherry on the cake was when the two Ferraris nearly collided following a pit stop, which was quickly followed by a team radio message that set the order between the two cars. The podium ceremony’s only positive moment was Jordan’s Tiago Monteiro’s brief, but honest celebration, spraying champagne, as the two Ferrari drivers quickly left the stage after receiving their respective awards.
[image source]
The political self-interests between Michelin, Bridgestone, Ferrari and the FIA resulted in one of the biggest blowbacks in Formula One’s history.
Later that month, all Michelin teams were found guilty by the World Motorsport Council on the counts of failing to present suitable tyres for the race - with mitigating circumstances - and that they allowed the cars to race (by not notifying the stewards on NOT starting the race beforehand while going out to the formation lap, they technically started the race).
This would be the only race during the season where Ferrari or Bridgestone won. The FIA reinstated tyre-changes for the following season. Michelin left Formula one at the end of the following season. Brigestone would follow suit at the end of 2010, to be replaced by Pirelli as the sole tyre-manufacturer.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted two more US Grands Prix, then the event dropped from the calendar until the newly-built Circuit of the Americas picked up the race in 2012. The road course at Indy was reconfigured to circumvent the banked corner and it would be used for IndyCar and MotoGP races.
Flavio Briatore was temporarily banned from all Formula 1 race tracks and activities following the race-fix-by-crashing scandal at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, damaging Renault’s reputation, eventually pulling out of the sport as a manufacturer.
Both the Jordan and Minardi teams were sold, they are currently running as Force India and Toro Rosso, respectively.
Max Mosley did not run for the FIA presidency again, he resigned in 2009. His successor currently is Jean Todt, former Scuderia Ferrari team leader.
Bernie is still Bernie and not a fan of the US.
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This article is from the archive of our partner .
Always one to detest the TSA's intrusion on people's privacy, Sen. Rand Paul has been detained himself by officials with the agency at Nashville's airport this morning, according to Paul spokesperson Moira Bagley. As CNN and Politico report, Paul, ever the libertarian, refused to be patted down when asked by airport officials in Nashville. "Paul went through a scanner at the airport and set off an alarm, Bagley said. He wanted to go through the body scan again instead of getting a pat-down, but officers of the Transportation Security Administration refused," says CNN. This isn't the first time Paul's been irked by the TSA's pat-down procedures. The Daily Caller reported in June how Paul criticized TSA head John Pistole for the pat-down of a 6-year-old Kentucky girl, chosen at random per TSA policy. "It makes me think you’re clueless, if you think she’s going to attack our country and you’re not doing your research on the people who want to attack our country," he said in Congress at the time. So presumably, Paul believed he (white, male, U.S. senator) wasn't enough of a threat to be patted down either.
Update 11:45 a.m.: The TSA is now coming forward with its version of the agency's standoff with Paul when he tried to fly from Nashville to D.C. for a session of Congress today, saying that Paul was not detained but rather escorted to the airport's exit. "The passenger triggered an alarm during routine airport screening and refused to complete the screening process in order to resolve the issue," reads a TSA statement. "Passengers, as in this case, who refuse to comply with security procedures are denied access to the secure gate area. He was escorted out of the screening area by local law enforcement." Maybe being "escorted" and being "detained" are tomato, tomahto for Paul. Paul, in his defense, says that his setting-off of the body scanner is "clearly a glitch."
This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.
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It seems I’m constantly on the lookout for things that will stimulate my mind. Or that will possibly stimulate the minds of others. (Sometimes this tends to get me in a little bit of trouble.) Well, today I found a little gold nugget poking out of the dirt in the form of an excellent post by Lot’s Cave publisher Pheadrus T. Wolfe, which is presented below. Perusing through various author forums at times, one of the most common questions that comes up (after “Will Amazon ban me for this book?”) is, “How do I be successful as an author?” Lots of people offer lots of advice, but this article really hits it on the head, at least for me. The ultimate answer is, you first have to decide your OWN definition of “success”! Phaedrus’ article presents many forms of criteria to consider, not just one (tons of money!).
Personally, there are actually a number of ways I judge my own “success”… It is, of course, gratifying to receive a check from my publisher every month, no matter how big or small. I’m notified almost immediately by Boruma Publishing and Smashwords whenever someone makes a purchase of my books. It’s always a nice little thrill, even if it happens multiple times in a day. I have also been fortunate enough to receive a handful of very complimentary reviews, which is very rare in this genre, especially considering the taboo subjects I indulge in.
More than that, though, I gauge my success in how many imaginations I’ve stimulated… how many minds I’ve opened… how many different ways of thinking were sparked by my words.
Yes, I would like to make money doing this. I know there’s a lot of “free” stuff out there in the genre I write in. Most of it is crap. And even that’s being generous at times. Charging a fee may not get me as many readers.. but knowing that I’m putting a price on my stories forces me to be a better writer. I received a personal note one time from a guy who said his hand was constantly in his pants during every page of reading If The Door Is Open. What higher praise could an erotica writer ask for?
Ultimately, the main criteria for my “success” is, how many orgasms have I caused?
Anyway, thanks Phaedrus, for hitting the nail so delightfully on the head:
In today’s erotic market, it can be tough to measure an author’s individual success. Part of the problem authors face is the question of how to remain motivated to do well. Authors repeatedly pour their heart and soul into their erotic books. Whether the story is short or long, takes a day or a month to write, an author still wants the book to succeed. It’s worth noting that this urge to do well drives every author in every book he or she publishes. An author’s success is not measured overall, but rather on an individual per book basis. The definition of a book’s success, while a personal one, often transfers into a greater overall opinion of the erotic market. Every author views the market differently and therefore measures success differently, various similarities remain standard for the majority of authors.
High Sales – The most obvious measure of success for authors is the concept of high sales. This metric poses numerous problems, especially for controversial erotica. Many erotica authors hear grandiose stories of riches and wealth from other authors bragging (sometimes falsely) about their book’s latest success. Claims of making $5,000 dollars in a single month is not unheard of. For an author trying to make a living and barely getting by, this is immensely discouraging. The truth is, many authors would be considered successful just to make a meager living from their royalties. Perceptions do not change easily in authors’ minds however, causing many successful authors to quit early just because they don’t see insane profits as quickly as they’d like.
Reader Feedback – Reader feedback is perhaps a less obvious measure of success which authors rely on heavily. Nothing excites an author more than seeing a positive book review raving about his or her writing skill and efforts. These reviews many times are the only measurement of a reader’s happiness. In the erotic market however, book reviews are rare occurrences, as readers often do not want their name connected permanently with erotica on Internet. Even so, in today’s market, many authors give away free copies of their books by the hundreds just to receive this feedback. The truth is, we live in an age where many reviews are faked, paid for, or insincere. Because of this, many readers have stopped looking at reviews, not to mention even reading them. For erotica authors, reviews should not be a measure of success in any form. On the bright side, a bad review doesn’t make an author’s work bad either, as so many erotica authors find their books under attack by religious zealots.
Fan Base – Another less obvious measure of success worth noting is the idea of a fan base. Many authors just starting out want to see a fan base, or an instant number of guaranteed sales. While this may actually be a justified measurement of success, this metric is the hardest to judge. Fan bases change depending on time of year, individual financial situations, and book platform availability. It’s worth noting that just because an author sees a disproportionate number of readers to actual sales doesn’t mean those “fans” don’t exist. In actuality, it takes several months, if not years, to build a good steady fan base. While a fan base isn’t a good way to measure success, it can be a rewarding undertaking for authors to consider. Keeping the reader in mind will often turn out to be a better experience for authors.
Getting Discovered – The worst metric of success in the mind of many authors is a fantasy of “getting discovered.” Fifty Shades of Grey, left many erotic authors with sudden hopes of their book taking off. While the Fifty Shades Trilogy has done enormously well in multiple regards, authors should not use this as a tool of measurement. Many authors have compared their own writing to that book, finding their own better. Authors begin wondering why his or her books haven’t taken off. Getting discovered is a lengthy, painful, and not always beneficial process–much depends on chance. Authors should instead focus on writing their books, enjoying the freedom they have to do so. This is especially true for authors of more controversial works; consider the likelihood of such books taking off in the public mindset. While getting discovered isn’t impossible, it should NEVER be a metric for new authors to gauge success in any form.
With so many traps to measure success, accurate judgments of success may seem impossible. Authors will find that multiple ways to judge success do exist, however. These methods will be very individual, but each author should try to be adopt them in some form. Try replacing any of the above traits with the following positive ways to judge success:
Positive Ways To Judge Success
Writing Goals – Every author has things they’d like to work on. Whether it’s about writing better blurbs, or changing the overall length of stories, writing goals can be extremely productive. Setting small goals that enhance the quality of an author’s writing will lead to outside feelings of accomplishment. In time, authors will feel less defensive of their writing opting to actually share selections of their work. Being able to take a step back from your writing will also help the feelings of anxiety and nervousness at publishing a new book. Feeling proud of your work as an author is more important than feeling successful by society’s standards. At the end of the day, an author has to answer to themselves about their writing first. Small writing goals is certainly the way to go. If an author wants to be successful, then keep writing writing writing and do not stop to play with marketing, making book covers, or become distracted by other facets of publishing.
Quarterly Sales – While I mentioned above that high sales rates are a bad measure of success, that doesn’t mean sales are a completely negative measurement tool. Taking a step back, and looking at your personal sales report can be highly productive. Please do not use this on a monthly basis, as some months are not good sale months… ever. The right unit of measurement seems to be somewhere around every four months. A four month’s span seems to be just enough time to find an overall sales pattern. By comparing four months at a time with another 4 month segment, authors can see increases based on the number of new books an author has for sale. Looking at these subtle increases, an author will most likely find only a positive notion of success from these overall spans of time while looking at it month by month doesn’t cut it at all.
Knowledge of the Market – An author hardly ever considers their knowledge of the market as a measure of success. This is one of the biggest mistakes made, especially by authors just starting out. Knowledge of the market seems to correlate to an author’s success. Think about it; the more an author can navigate the market, the more an author knows how to judge their books. Taking into consideration how successfully an author can navigate their potential sales, an author quickly changes their writing. Not always, but usually these changes are for the better. Authors that take time to understand how the market works learns to improve the writing of their blurbs, their story content, and even to set the titles of their book. In order to truly be successful, an author simply must learn how the market works.
Trademark Writing – Part of understanding the market and improved authorship skills results in trademark writing. This takes a couple different forms, depending on the author. Some authors like their cover to have a certain design quality specific to them. Other authors tend to write only within a certain sub-genre. Being able to lock yourself within a specific sub-genre really allows author success. While some authors hesitate to pick one sub-genre for fear of not appealing to the vast majority of people. successful authors know their audience. Writing for five different sub-genres creates confused readers who will, never really know what they’ll get. Trademarking turns into a positive way to measure success.
Fan Outreach – Differing from trying to measure a fan base, an author’s fan outreach doesn’t focus on numbers. Fan outreach is an author’s ability to be found online by their readers. Taking time to utilize social media is the sign of a successful author. Not getting trapped in an endless social media marketing loop authors that have fan outreach know when to quit. Taking time to be searchable, but not overwhelming, successful authors have the ability to self promote. While this may not seem important to success, it is. If an author takes time to look at their appeal to readers, they can gauge some fan feedback. All in all, fan outreach can be good or bad. It can get real bad if an author spends time blogging that would be more productive in getting a new book out.
Taking time to measure success can be painful for authors who don’t know any better. Realizing that some gauging methods are more successful than others, authors keep from getting too discouraged. Judging the various methods for their effectiveness, some authors may find individual ways of feeling successful. So many author experiences are unique, as each genre can be measured differently. Feedback from readers may be more likely for example, or sales higher than in a separate genre. Whatever method an author uses, it’s important to remember everything should be taken with a grain of salt. Feedback won’t always be positive, but that doesn’t mean all books are poorly written. Take time to enjoy being an author, whether or not you feel successful. In any case, for an author to be successful, just keep on writing and do not waste too much time gauging. Write!
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Christina Aguilera once asked in the 1998 song Reflection “when will my reflection show?”
And for a cat staring into two mirrors at once, the answer is now.
A photo of a cat presumably stunned by its own distorted reflection in a circular bathroom mirror and a wall mirror simultaneously has recently got all of the likes on Twitter.
Apparently the internet has endless fondness for this photo, and the magical moment was recently rediscovered this week when it really exploded on Twitter. The enduring sensation of a cat is Roscoe, and he is based in Chicago. Owner Katie B. tells TIME she first captured the masterpiece moment, and shared the photo back in August.
“He follows me everywhere and that morning, he was sitting in my sink while I got ready for work like he always does. I looked down and saw him in the mirror and thought it was super funny so I took a picture really quick before he moved!” she told TIME. “Everyone who he meets is his new best friend. He also has a very expressive face and a really fun personality so he makes everyone laugh.”
Perhaps that’s why it feels like the feline belongs to all of us now. Her post of the image has been liked nearly 400,000 times.
The cat looks quite taken aback by the confrontational experience. In the image, the cat wears a special kind of wide-eyed shocked expression. Everyone is bringing an excellent sense of humor to the photo, including one person who imagines the mirrors as “intrusive thoughts” and “inescapable anxiety” staring back at them.
Of course, checking out confused cats checking out themselves in mirrors is a time-honored pastime.
See the cat see itself clearly in two mirrors below.
This cat is of course not the first.
And cat filters are a completely different story, but kind of the same energy.
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Write to Ashley Hoffman at Ashley.Hoffman@time.com.
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Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
A uniformed U.S. Secret Service officer was injured and a pedestrian arrested after an accident involving a motorcade carrying Chinese officials in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
The incident occurred near the corner of 17th Street NW and F Street at 12:55 p.m. only a few blocks from the White House, the Secret Service said.
Sources say Chinese motorcade was involved in the incident and @secretservice officer was injured but not struck by a vehicle pic.twitter.com/AhQAahadkn — Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) January 30, 2019
When paramedics arrived, the officer was sitting up in the street and was later taken to the hospital with a leg injury — possibly a dislocated knee, a fire department spokesman said. His injury was considered serious, but not life-threatening, the official said.
A person was arrested for allegedly crossing a police line and assaulting a police officer after attempting "to impede the progress" of the motorcade "in a temporarily secured area," the Secret Service said.
The Chinese delegation is in town for the trade talks at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and the Secret Service is responsible for the safety of all foreign dignitaries. Protesters were active and visible in the area at the time of the accident.
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The state-wide bandh called by Karnataka organisations and farmers on 25 January is expected to affect life across the state and capital Bengaluru.
The state-wide bandh called by Karnataka organisations and farmers on 25 January is expected to affect life across the state and capital Bengaluru. Private schools and government offices are expected to remain closed in view of the bandh. Citing safety issues, the Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka said member-schools would remain closed on 25 January. Deccan Herald report said that since the holiday hinders teachers from covering the syllabus ahead of the upcoming exams, schools will conduct additional classes on Saturday. However, association members also felt that 25 January be most probably be declared a holiday since noone nows what preparations are in place to handle the law and order situation in the city.
Reports said that the Bengaluru Metro is expected to run normally. "We will not stop services. If and only if there is a hindrance to the safety of the passengers, we will inform the police and stop services. However, for now it has been decided that the metro will run without any hassle," The News Minute quoted Vasanth Rao, the Public Relations Officer of Namma Metro, as saying.
Transport services would, however, function on Thursday. Several app-based taxi services said on the social media that they would function as normal. H D Revappa from the KSRTC Employee Federation, affiliated to the CITU, said services would be operational on Thursday. However services in Hubbali and other parts of northern Karnataka are likely to be severely hit as the epicentre of the protests are in those areas. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) managing director V Ponnuraj said they would follow the directives given by the State government.
#KarnatakaBandh Transport authorities have said they would operate services on Thursday. Ride-hailing apps have said on social media that they would be functioning https://t.co/a1qM17pbiO — The Hindu (@the_hindu) January 24, 2018
However, fissures have emerged among the various groups who have called for the bandh, which is over Mahadayi river water sharing row. Despite differences, Vatal Nagaraj, who heads Kannada Okoota, an umbrella organisation of Kannada bodies, confirmed that the state-wide dawn to dusk bandh on 25 January will happen as per schedule. Nagaraj also demanded the prime minister's intervention. Other groups have, however, opposed to the bandh.
Speaking with The Hindu Karnataka Sanghatanegala Okkoota (KSO) president HB Nagesh said, "We oppose the bandh as it would affect the livelihood of a large number of daily wage workers and also cause hardship to the general public.” They also opposed what they called the “unilateral decision” taken by Nagaraj." KSO is an umbrella group.
Several Kannada activists had expressed anger and questioned Nagaraj's decision to call for a bandh. "Did you take our consent before giving a bandh call on 25 January? We will not support it. Our intention of calling a bandh on 27 January was to pressure Modi to intervene in the Mahadayi issue, as he was to visit the state on 28 January. Frequent bandhs are causing a lot of inconvenience to the public, who are now upset."
There are others who support the bandh wholeheartedly. The Karnataka State Government Employees' Association is not only participating in the shutdown but also giving away a day's salary for the cause. Private bus operators said that services will continue as long as there is no violence. The New Indian Express reported that several IT firms in Bengaluru have told their employees to either take the day off or work from home.
However, the union members said services will not be stopped despite their own protest as well as the bandh. The management of the corporations has also decided not to suspend services. Bangalore University has postponed all exams scheduled for 25 January. It has put up the revised schedule on its website bangaloreuniversity.ac.in. Time and venue remain unchanged, reports have said.
The bandh will also coincide with a statewide dharna called by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Staff and Workers Federation which has been demanding implementation of an Industrial Tribunal award of 29 August 2017, as well as an extension of the 12.5 percent wage hike announced in 2016 to all officers and supervisory staff.
The outfits have announced the strike in order to put pressure on the state and central governments to resolve the Mahadayi water-sharing dispute. They are protesting against the non-implementation of the Kalasa-Banduri dam project, which will divert water from the Mahadayi river to districts in North Karnataka.
Political slugfest as BJP and Congress continue blame game
The call for bandh has sparked a bitter war-of-words between the ruling Congress and the principle Opposition in the state the Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP called the two bandhs (25 January and 4 February) "politically motivated" demanding the Prime Minister's intervention in the inter-state Mahadayi river water dispute with Goa. The party alleged Congress government had a role in selection of dates when BJP national president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to visit the poll-bound state to take part in 'Nav Karnataka Parivartan Yatra', organised by the state unit.
Shah will address a rally on 25 January in Mysuru. Modi will arrive in Bengaluru on 4 February. "There is no necessity for a Karnataka bandh.If there was a bandh in the affected area,it is fine;what has Mysuru got to do with the issue?" BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa was quoted as saying by PTI. The 25 January programme in Mysuru would go ahead as planned, Yeddyurapppa said and added that his party was in favour of protecting the state's interests on the Mahadayi issue.
Accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of extending support to the bandh with "malicious" intent, he said, "The chief minister is trying to create confusion, stop buses and close schools and colleges as done in the past....I have not heard of any chief minister behaving in such a manner."
The Congress said it supported the call for bandh demanding Modi's intervention to resolve the Mahadayi river water sharing dispute. "Everybody must support the bandh call given by farmer groups and pro-Kannada organisations seeking Modi's intervention," Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters in Bengaluru on Tuesday. "The chief minister said the bandh should be advanced to 25 January because 26 January is Republic Day. It's not that we knew Shah and Modi were coming. We have to put up a united fight in the Mahadayi issue. It is true that the Centre has not stood by the people of Karnataka." Rao was quoted as saying.
Accusing Congress of playing politics, Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar questioned the need to call for a bandh in Bengaluru on 4 February when a state-wide call had already been given on 25 January. "This clearly showed that there was political malice and that the chief minister is directly involved in planning it," he said in Huballi.
"When the Prime Minister is coming for a political event, if they are doing this it is clear that they are terrified... On hearing that Modi is coming Siddaramaiah and Congress start trembling, so they want to create disturbance," he alleged.
Hitting back at the BJP, Siddaramaiah termed BJP's allegations as baseless. "Will Vatal Nagraj or Kannada organisations listen to government... why should we ask them to organise a bandh? It is a problem for the government if there is a bandh," he said, adding, "We have nothing to do with it, let BJP go and request Kannada organisers against bandh."
For more updates, follow our live blog here
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By Taylor Kuykendall
West Virginia's coal industry enjoys broad support in the state Legislature, and the issue of coal is often a lightning rod for state voters in national elections. Many in the state, however, are increasingly critical of broad measures to support coal production over other forms of energy and economic development.
Ted Boettner, executive director and co-founder of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, examines economic trends in West Virginia's coal industry, including the ongoing decline in production, productivity and employment, and fiscal aspects of the energy sector such as severance and property taxes.
The organization has made a number of proposals for economic and coal legislation in the state, frequently challenging energy producers and public officials with its reports, legislative testimony and other outreach efforts.
Boettner spoke with SNL Energy and shared his thoughts on the current impact and future of the West Virginia coal industry. The questions and answers below have been edited for clarity and brevity.
SNL Energy: You have been critical of some state legislative measures designed to benefit the coal industry in West Virginia via tax breaks or other means. What role has the state government played in coal's success or failure, and what role do you think it should play in the future?
Ted Boettner: We try to look critically at all issues, whether it's a severance tax credit or an early childhood intervention program. For example, last week the West Virginia House Energy Committee passed out of committee a bill to give coal companies a $3/ton credit on the severance tax for coal that is sold in-state to a utility or industry above a certain threshold.
While the perceived aim of the legislation is to boost in-state coal production, the incentives are pointed backwards. If anything, the state should be giving the utility or factory the tax credit for purchasing more expensive West Virginia coal. The bill is nothing more than rent-seeking and it highlights how West Virginia coal companies are unable to compete with higher-taxed coal in Wyoming and how much they are looking for government to step in and help with their market woes. It will only work if the coal companies were forced to pass along the tax savings to in-state coal purchases, but that's not in the bill.
Instead of giving handouts to coal companies that will do little to boost production or employment, the state should be using coal revenue to diversify its economy and help coal miners' transition. We should also explore other less harmful uses for coal and implement smarter rules to ensure mining health and safety.
While the positive economic impacts of the coal industry are often touted at state and national levels, you have written about what you describe as negative impacts in West Virginia. What are some of those negative impacts, and what would you recommend as a solution?
It would be irrational to only look at the benefits of the coal industry without considering its costs. Natural resource extraction of any kind can be very hard on communities and has been heavily associated with political corruption and uneven development. Typically in West Virginia, it is very difficult to have an evidence-based discussion about the costs of coal because of the strong influence of the coal industry on political discourse and at the state Capitol.
The largest externality of coal is health and well-being, where the costs are well into the billions. The negative impact on investment and attainment of human capital is also prevalent in communities and in the state, although West Virginia has done a decent job investing in higher education over the last two decades. Other externalities include the enormous toll on our roads from heavy coal trucks where the state doesn't collect enough in fees to cover the costs.
Like I mentioned earlier, the coal industry isn't engaged in free market capitalism and they benefit tremendously from state tax subsidies and public projects like locks and dams.
The solution is to mine coal responsibly with smarter and more effective regulations and enforcement so that communities can attract other industries and have clean drinking water and stronger infrastructure.
Is there any sort of coal-related legislation you are watching in West Virginia's 2014 legislative session?
For over the last five years, we have been pushing the state to create a permanent mineral trust fund or Future Fund with a portion of severance tax revenue from coal, oil, and natural gas. Several other states and countries have similar funds — including Wyoming, Alaska, Alberta, Canada and Norway — and they ensure that their people will always benefit from their states non-renewable, depleting resources.
Unfortunately, many lawmakers feel that we've already missed the boat with coal, but there is a lot of momentum to create a fund from the increased share of severance tax revenues from shale development. Senate President Jeff Kessler has been leading the charge and I think he can make it happen this year. Just think how wealthy West Virginia would be if it took 5 percent of the coal, gas, and oil wealth from the state and invested it in a fund 100 years ago. We would be one of the richest states in the country and our fund would be bigger than Alaska's Permanent Fund at $48 billion.
Based on the data you have examined, does coal have a future in West Virginia?
Yes, especially in the metallurgical markets as long as economic growth continues in places like India and China.
Does that vary by region?
While steam coal production will continue to decline in southern West Virginia, it will most likely stagnate in the northern part of the state for the next several decades. This is why it so imperative for policymakers to plan for the future, especially in the southern coalfields that will continue to lose population and jobs if nothing is done. Recently, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear and Rep. Hal Rogers from eastern Kentucky launched an initiative called SOAR, or Shaping our Appalachian Region, that could be something for West Virginians to emulate.
How would you describe the health of West Virginia's economy, and what role has coal played in it? What are your thoughts on the state's future?
West Virginia is a low-wage economy. It is probably the central reason why the state ranks so poorly in income and other economic indicators. That being said, the economy has gotten more diverse over the last couple of decades. However, we are still very dependent on extractive industries, especially for jobs that do not require a post-secondary degree.
Since we didn't have a big housing boom in our state, and the fact that the shale boom coincided with the beginning of the economic crisis, West Virginia has done relatively well compared to other states. While coal employment declined because of the lack of global and interstate demand during the recession, it bounced back quickly up until the beginning of 2013 when the industry was getting hammered by competition from shale gas and cheaper coal from Wyoming and Illinois. Fortunately, the boom in shale development has mostly made up for the decline in coal jobs, although those jobs are primarily in the northern part of the state and the coal job losses are in the southern part of the state.
Coal is still a big piece of our state' economic pie, but its power is waning. This is also evident by looking at how the political power of the state is shifting north to the shale gas fields and to the eastern panhandle where the population is growing.
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Worsening haze across Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia forces schools to close, airlines to cancel flights
* Haze forces school closings, flight cancellations in SE Asia
* State of emergency declared in two Indonesian provinces
* Police investigating 26 firms (Adds Indonesian minister's quotes)
By Michael Taylor and Kanupriya Kapoor
JAKARTA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - A worsening haze across northern Indonesia, neighbouring Singapore and parts of Malaysia on Tuesday forced some schools to close and airlines to delay flights, while Indonesia ordered a crackdown against lighting fires to clear forested land.
Southeast Asia has suffered for years from annual bouts of smog caused by slash-and-burn practices in Indonesia's Sumatra and Kalimantan islands, but governments in the region have failed to address the problem.
The fires have been exacerbated this year by the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon, as a prolonged dry season in Indonesia has parched the top soil, fuelling the flames.
"The fire problems have reached a critical point," Luhut Pandjaitan, coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, told reporters.
"Our neighbouring countries have protested for years. We are not playing around."
President Joko Widodo, who was on an official visit to the Middle East, instructed security forces late Monday to accelerate efforts to extinguish the fires and revoke land permits from companies found responsible.
Nearly 3,000 military and police personnel, 17 helicopters and four cloud-seeding aircraft have been deployed to fight the fires, according to the country's disaster management agency.
A state of emergency has been declared in Indonesia's Riau and Central Kalimantan provinces as an air quality index has hit "dangerous" levels, rising to as high as 984, officials said.
In Singapore, the index has fluctuated well above 100, levels considered "unhealthy", for the past few days, and reached as high as 249 on Monday night, putting it in "very unhealthy" territory.
Indonesia has struggled for years to contain forest fires and the resulting haze despite repeatedly promising to punish perpetrators.
THOUSANDS SICK
The unhealthy air has caused acute respiratory infections for around 26,000 people in Indonesia's Riau province alone, a government official said.
It has also increased the workload for doctors in Malaysia and Singapore, where the haze has clouded the build-up to the Formula One night race later this week.
Malaysia said it was preparing to conduct cloud-seeding operations to reduce the haze as schools were closed in several states and some flights were disrupted due to poor visibility.
The smog is usually caused by firms and small-holder farmers clearing land adjacent to existing concessions for palm or pulp and paper.
Major plantation companies like Asia Pulp and Paper say they have a "zero burning" policy but have often been criticised by green groups for not doing enough to stop the haze.
Indonesian authorities plan to sanction this week three or four companies of the total 26 under investigation, said Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar, with the revoking of their land permits a possibility.
(Additional reporting by Bernadette Christina and Eveline Danubrata in JAKARTA, Trinna Leong in KUALA LUMPUR and Fathin Ungku in SINGAPORE; Editing by Randy Fabi and Simon Cameron-Moore)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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It uses the highest quality goat hair "Saikoho" which delivers you an extra soft feeling. Japanese Cherry Birch handle is also a special feature that will highlight your makeup set. The same pattern does not exist as one in the world!
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RICHMOND (CN) – A Democratic congressional candidate in Virginia is threatening legal action against a conservative PAC that shared an unredacted copy of her federal security clearance application with the press.
The document in question is an SF86 form filled out by Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for Virginia’s 7th District.
The survey is a massive, highly personal and mandatory form for those seeking federal jobs that require security clearance. They are used to conduct background investigations, reinvestigations, and continuous evaluations of persons under consideration for, or retention of, national security positions.
Lying on the form can lead to a five-year prison sentence.
The document, unredacted and containing Spanberger’s social security number, home addresses and phone numbers, was acquired and shared with the press by the Congressional Leadership Fund, a political action committee “dedicated to protecting and strengthening the Republican Majority in the House of Representatives.”
The group said the document was legally obtained via FOIA request from the Official Personnel Folder for Spanberger from the US Post Office. Spanberger said she filled out the document when she was seeking a job as a federal postal inspector for the USPS.
Spanberger has since released a statement condemning the PAC for distributing the document as well as the federal agencies for allowing the information inside to be released to the public without her consent.
She also linked Speaker Paul Ryan, who heads the PAC, to the document’s release.
“I am not aware of any legal way the CLF could have this document,” she said in a statement before threatening legal action against the group if her request to destroy the document was not met by 5 p.m. Wednesday.
But according to Victoria Baranetsky, general counsel for the Center for Investigative Reporting, Spanberger’s chance of success in a legal challenge is in “murky territory.”
“An agency can mistakenly release documents … and a publication can publish that information, but there are consequences for that,” she said, offering two common outcomes.
In once scenario, the agency tells the FOIA receiver it was given the document, or unredacted parts of the document, by mistake. They can then tell the receiver to stop publishing it and ask a court to issue prior restraint order stopping it from being published or shared further.
“[That’s] incredibly rare and not usually the case,” Baranetsky said.
But there’s another scenario, also backed up with case law, that says once the agency has disclosed the record they’ve waved any FOIA exemption privileges.
“Sometimes an agency, just by mistaken release, has waived [that FOIA exemption],” she said.
While Baranetsky said she hadn’t heard any of her reporters filing for SF86 documents, she had seen plenty of requests for personnel files and while they are sometimes granted, there’s also a specific part of FOIA law that allows the agency to deny such a request.
“Under FOIA, there is an exemptions for personnel records, but the question is ‘is there any portions that can be published while others parts are redacted,’” she said, noting things like phone numbers, addresses and, in particular social security numbers, would often be among the information that is denied or redacted prior to release.
Still, as a media attorney, Baranetsky said it’s important to promote transparency and access to public documents.
“That’s an integral tenent to the practice,” she said. “However there’s also the importance of respecting certain privacy concerns and that type of balancing is imported into FOIA practice as well as pre-publication review.”
In a statement, CLF spokesperson Courtney Alexander said the group “follows the letter of the law in examining any candidate’s background and Ms. Spanberger was no different.”
“That she’s threatening legal action, however, should raise serious questions for voters about what else she is trying to hide,” she said.
The Fund used the document to trace Spanberger’s work history to a less-than-a-year long stint working at a Saudi-funded Islamic school from late 2002 to early 2003. In 2005 the school came under fire when one of its graduates was convicted of providing information in a terrorist plot to assassinate then-president George W. Bush. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, at the time, accused the school of being a training ground for radical Islamic theology.
The Fund has since used Spanberger’s time there, and her attempt to destroy the document, as a campaign attack saying the candidate’s actions show she “would want to hide from voters that she worked at a school that produced some of the world’s most dangerous terrorists.”
A newcomer to politics, Spanberger is challenging incumbent Republican and Tea Party member Dave Brat in the upcoming 2018 midterm election. The Cook Political Report has put the race as a “toss up” as the district, made up of Richmond’s suburbs and large swaths of rural land, shifts more blue, however the district has been GOP controlled since 1971.
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La URJC ha achacado todo a un error administrativo a la hora de poner las notas y señala que el fallo se descubrió cuando Cifuentes fue a pedir su título
La presidenta de la Comunidad de Madrid, Cristina Cifuentes, presume en su web de tener cursados dos máster, uno de ellos "en Derecho Autonómico por la Universidad Rey Juan Carlos" de Madrid. Tal y como demuestra eldiario.es con documentación de la propia universidad pública, a Cifuentes, entonces delegada de Gobierno en Madrid, le cambiaron la nota de "No presentado" a "Notable" dos años después de matricularse y sin mediar nueva matrícula. Lo hizo una funcionaria que no trabajaba en el servicio de posgrado ni siquiera en el mismo campus donde se impartía.
Las inverosímiles explicaciones de la universidad que le ha regalado el máster a Cifuentes
Saber más
Tras ofrecer explicaciones vagas antes de la publicación del artículo y ante el revuelo que ha levantado el caso, la universidad ha desplegado este miércoles al rector, Javier Ramos, al director del curso, Enrique Álvarez Conde y al profesor implicado Pablo Chico de la Cámara para achacar todo el problema a un error administrativo: se transcribieron mal las calificaciones reales.
La política del PP se matriculó en este máster en el curso 2011/2012 y pagó los correspondientes 1.586,39 euros, como ha confirmado eldiario.es. Según su expediente de notas, al que ha tenido acceso este medio, aprobó todo ese mismo curso.
Sin embargo, un pantallazo del sistema de gestión de alumnos de la URJC (aquí puedes ver el documento ampliado) revela otra cosa. En 2011-12 aparecían como "No presentado" o "-", que es lo mismo, dos materias: 'La financiación de las comunidades autónomas' y el 'Trabajo Fin de Máster'.
La explicación está en ese mismo pantallazo. En 2014, dos años después de la matrícula oficial, el usuario que corresponde a la funcionaria Amalia Calonge entra en el sistema informático y cambia la nota de "No presentado" a sendos notables, concretamente 7,5, dejando rastro en el sistema. Días después de sus notables, Cifuentes paga el título y cuando va a recogerlo se hace una sonriente foto con la funcionaria Calonge, una imagen que estaba en el perfil de whatsapp de esta última hasta este martes por la tarde. Esas dos asignaturas suman 27 créditos (24 el trabajo y 3 créditos la asignatura) de un total de 60 que tiene el máster, es decir, suponen casi la mitad del posgrado.
En el registro se ve que Calonge está cambiando en el año 2014 las notas de 2011. En la columna de la izquierda se aprecia que la modificación se está produciendo para las calificaciones del año académico 2011-12 (bajo el epígrafe ANY_ANYACA). Ni la universidad, ni la funcionaria ni el profesor han explicado por qué.
Curiosamente, fuentes de Presidencia de la Comunidad de Madrid confirman que, efectivamente, se dejó "2 ó 3 asignaturas" como dice el sistema interno, pero que las aprobó en 2014, aunque no explican por qué entonces sus notas del expediente académico oficial dicen que las aprobó todas en 2011-12.
La única manera en la que podría ser factible que Cifuentes apruebe dos años después como ella defiende, es si se hubiera matriculado de nuevo, como marca la ley, pero según el historial de Cifuentes en el registro de administración de la URJC, no se matriculó de nada ese año, como ha podido confirmar eldiario.es
El único pago que aparece en 2014 de la alumna Cristina Cifuentes son 176,27 euros, lo que cuesta retirar el título, un pago que hizo 15 días después de esos 'notables fantasma'. Preguntadas por cómo sacó dos notables en 2014 sin mediar matrícula, fuentes de Presidencia se aferran a que las abonó y que aprobó ese año lo que le faltaba: "Pagó para volverse a presentar, debe de haber un error". ¿Lo ha confirmado la presidenta de Madrid, pagó en 2014 y se examinó de nuevo de dos asignaturas? "No confirmo que fuera en 2014, no se acuerda del hecho de haber pagado o no, pero pagó y se sacó las asignaturas que le faltaban y que no había aprobado en primera instancia". La realidad es que no hay ningún registro de pago de matrículas o examen en 2014 por parte de Cristina Cifuentes. Todo lo aprobó y pagó en el curso 2011-2012, como revela la documentación oficial a la que ha tenido acceso eldiario.es.
Por otra parte, según la propia normativa de la universidad, "para poder realizar la defensa del Trabajo Fin de Máster el alumno tendrá que haber superado el resto de las asignaturas del Máster, para lo que deberá entregar la justificación correspondiente". Según el expediente académico de Cifuentes, entre la calificación de la asignatura que le quedaba pendiente y la calificación del Trabajo Fin de Máster pasa un minuto, lo que tarda el usuario Calonge en cambiar las notas. Tiempo insuficiente para presentar un justificante, preparar un trabajo y defenderlo en público.
Por qué le cambiaron esas calificaciones dos años después es un misterio y ante qué comisión presentó su trabajo y con qué tutor, también. La universidad tampoco lo ha logrado explicar de momento. Fuentes cercanas a Cifuentes dicen que lo explicarán todo este miércoles con documentación.
Amalia Calonge, como ella misma confirma por teléfono a eldiario.es, no tenía en 2014 ninguna responsabilidad sobre los máster de la URJC, una universidad pública que depende de la financiación de la propia Comunidad de Madrid. En ese momento trabajaba en otro campus, en Móstoles (hoy es jefa en el Rectorado): "Yo no hago ni una sola rectificación de nada si no me lo ha pedido un profesor por escrito", y añade que no puede dar ninguna explicación más "porque es información amparada en la Ley de Protección de Datos".
¿Quién le pidió que cambiara la nota de un alumno de otro campus y otro departamento dos años después de la matrícula para cambiar dos "no presentado"? No se acuerda. "En aquel entonces era habitual que se hicieran matrículas y gestiones aunque fueran de otro campus, ahora ya no", zanja, sin dar más información. Preguntada sobre si es amiga de la presidenta y por su foto con ella, prefiere no responder. Desde el entorno de Cifuentes aseguran que no la conoce de nada.
El profesor en una de las asignaturas que aparece con Notable en 2014 fue Pablo Chico de la Cámara. eldiario.es le ha preguntado telefónicamente por esta célebre alumna, si fue a clase y por qué se le cambió la nota dos años después. No niega nada y se limita a decir que "es una información reservada, me remito a las autoridades de la universidad". Tampoco contesta si normalmente cambia las notas a alumnos con dos años de diferencia y sin que se matriculen de nuevo. "Me remito a lo que digan las autoridades".
El otro notable fantasma, el Trabajo Fin de Máster, supone casi la mitad de créditos (24), para el que hay que tener un tutor y que se expone en público ante una comisión evaluadora, como dice la normativa de la URJC. Tampoco nadie en la universidad da un nombre ni ante quién se presentó.
Sorpresa por el cambio de notas
José María Álvarez Monzonzillo, vicerrector de tercer grado de la URJC, al ser cuestionado por eldiario.es se mostró sorprendido respecto al cambio de notas: "No sé ni quién es Amalia Calonge. ¿Pero es profesora? Si no es profesora no lo puede cambiar", aunque en una llamada posterior matiza que hace unos años una funcionaria de otro campus sí podía cambiar notas, y que por eso puede aparecer cambiado por ella.
Monzonzillo cuenta que ha hecho varias gestiones para averiguar el nombre del profesor de la asignatura, el tutor del trabajo y ante qué comisión se presentó públicamente Cristina Cifuentes a defender su proyecto. Monzonzillo tuvo poco éxito durante todo el martes. La sexta universidad madrileña no logró averiguarlo y remitió explicaciones vagas sobre lo que pudo pasar. Una vez ha estallado el caso –y con radios, televisiones y periódicos insistiendo en obtener respuestas más convincentes– el Rectorado ha optado por convocar una comparecencia pública para, ahora sí, asegurar que todo ha sido un fallo en aras de la "transparencia", ha dicho el rector Ramos.
Fuentes jurídicas consultadas apuntan a que, si se confirma que ha habido un cambio de expediente ilegal, podríamos estar ante una presunta falsificación en documento público, regulada por el artículo 390 del código penal y que prevé penas de tres a seis años de cárcel para el funcionario que cometa la falsedad.
Desde el punto de vista académico, la URJC prevé sanciones por la "utilización de medios fraudulentos, con el fin de obtener resultados no merecidos en pruebas de evaluación, que conlleven la colaboración de agentes externos", según su reglamento disciplinario y lo considera una falta grave.
Este escándalo se suma a otro en la familia de Cifuentes: su hermana, Margarita Cifuentes es desde el 2016 profesora visitante en la misma universidad pública pese a que no cumple ninguno de los requisitos de la LOU, el convenio y los estatutos de la URJC. La hermana de la presidenta de Madrid fue personal de administración hasta que el exrector Fernando Suárez le hizo un contrato reservado a profesores de reconocido prestigio. Le dirigió personalmente la tesis y después la contrató como profesora haciendo uso de esa figura discrecional, que evita los concursos y controles.
La Rey Juan Carlos es la misma universidad que dirigía Fernando Suárez, rector hasta 2017, cuando tuvo que convocar elecciones por el escándalo desvelado por eldiario.es de la decena de plagios que había hecho antes y durante su rectorado.
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Read the Description
If you expect to receive all the pretty stones in the picture you will be disappointed. Be sure to read the description. There were two stones in my envelope. The description says you will receive one stone.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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Your government at work with your tax dollars. Loan billions to brain dead teenagers so they can pretend to get smart in college. When they fail miserably due to the fact after twelve years of public school government indoctrination they can’t read, write or add, the government pays slimy collection agencies to get these unemployed dolts to pay up. Not only has $600 billion of your tax dollars been pissed down the drain on loans to dumbasses, you now get to spend billions trying to collect the billions that will never be collected. Clusterfuck is too kind of a word to use for this program Obama initiated to pump money into the economy and fake the true unemployment rate. I bet you can’t wait until the government has full control of your healthcare.
The federal government has, in recent years, paid debt collectors close to $1 billion annually to help distressed borrowers climb out of default and scrounge up regular monthly payments. New government figures suggest much of that money may have been wasted.
Nearly half of defaulted student-loan borrowers who worked with debt collectors to return to good standing on their loans defaulted again within three years, according to an analysis by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. For their work, debt collectors receive up to $1,710 in payment from the U.S. Department of Education each time a borrower makes good on soured debt through a process known as rehabilitation. They keep those funds even if borrowers subsequently default again, contracts show. The department has earmarked more than $4.2 billion for payments to its debt collectors since the start of the 2013 fiscal year, federal spending data show.
The corrupt establishment will do anything to suppress sites like the Burning Platform from revealing the truth. The corporate media does this by demonetizing sites like mine by blackballing the site from advertising revenue. If you get value from this site, please keep it running with a donation. [Jim Quinn - PO Box 1520 Kulpsville, PA 19443] or Paypal -----------------------------------------------------The corrupt establishment will do anything to suppress sites like the Burning Platform from revealing the truth. The corporate media does this by demonetizing sites like mine by blackballing the site from advertising revenue. If you get value from this site, please keep it running with a donation. [Jim Quinn - PO Box 1520 Kulpsville, PA 19443] or Paypal
The findings, gleaned from the bureau’s analysis of about 600,000 borrower accounts, come as the Trump administration weighs a shakeup of the government’s student loan program. For years, defaults have mounted despite the improving U.S. economy and the money invested in collecting education debt. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos pledged earlier this year to “do a better job” than the Obama administration at managing the department’s loan contractors. Last week, DeVos suggested that the feds should “start afresh.”
Officials at the CFPB say the government should reexamine whether the loan program, and the lucrative contracts it bestows on private firms, is working for the millions of Americans struggling to repay their taxpayer-backed student debt.
“When student loan companies know that nearly half of their highest-risk customers will quickly fail, it’s time to fix the broken system that makes this possible,” said Seth Frotman, the consumer bureau’s top student-loan official.
Debt collectors aggressively angle for new business from the Education Department because the contracts are among the most lucrative in the industry. The government values the latest round at $2.8 billion.
The government often pays debt collectors nearly 40 times what they bring in, federal records show. Take the government’s rehabilitation program, which targets people who have defaulted on their debt—meaning they missed nine months of payments. If a borrower subsequently makes nine on-time monthly payments of as little as $5 during a 10-month period, their loans are returned to good standing and the default is supposed to be wiped from their credit reports . But the CFPB found that more than 40 percent of these borrowers defaulted again within three years.
Even when borrowers don’t default, debt collection efforts often yield little. Close to 80 percent of borrowers who rehabilitate their debt make the minimum $5 monthly payment, according to a 2015 estimate by the National Council of Higher Education Resources, a lobbying group that represents student debt collectors and servicers. That means the Education Department is paying its debt collectors up to $1,710 per borrower to collect around $45, regardless of whether the borrower continues to make her payments.
The arrangement means that debt collectors “have no ‘skin in the game,’” Frotman wrote in an October report.
The consumer bureau estimates that the vast majority of borrowers who rehabilitate their defaulted debt with $5 monthly payments are eligible for $0 payments after they exit default, under an income-based repayment plan. But about 90 percent of debtors who rehabilitated their debt failed to enroll in these programs, according to the CFPB’s analysis. All that’s needed to enroll is some paperwork that enables contracted loan servicers to confirm borrowers’ annual earnings, but experts inside and outside the government say they don’t know why this step isn’t completed, and distressed borrowers are left stuck in debt collectors’ sights. The Education Department, which rewards its loan servicers with more business if the loans they service remain in good standing, excludes rehabilitated loans when grading its servicers’ performance.
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Police say Romanian singer Madalina Manole was found dead at her home on her 43rd birthday.
Police spokeswoman Claudia Burada says Manole left a farewell message to her husband, Mircea Petru, early Wednesday. Prosecutors are examining the possibility of suicide.
Manole was 15 when she made her debut as a singer, and became one of Romania's best loved artists of folk and popular music, often with romantic themes.
Her auburn tresses helped make her known in Romania as the "girl with the flame-colored hair."
She is survived by her husband and a 1-year-old son, Petru.
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Today, The VELUX Group, leaders in roof windows announced an impressive and innovative partnership with Netatmo releasing a Smart Window System.
The system allows automatic control of roof windows, blinds and shutters – all controlled via Netatmo Sensors and integrated into Apple HopmeKit. Allowing owners to control their windows and blinds via the app and any supported Apple device, including iPhone, iPad and even Apple Watch. Even Siri will be able to control them “Hey Siri, open the bedroom’s roof windows”.
The system is plug and plug, allowing anyone to buy it and easily integrate it into their smart home. The system, called the VELUX ACTIVE, makes owners smart homes smarter by thinking for them. Monitoring CO concentration, humidity and temperature, to improve the air quality by opening windows or closing blinds – creating a healthier indoor space. A smart algorithm calculates if opening the window will make a difference and if so for how long it needs to be open.
Kent Holm, SVP, global product management, The VELUX Group commented:
“The trend for smart homes to help us live more comfortable and healthier lives is increasing and this innovation positions VELUX for more growth in this rapidly developing product segment.”
The tech connects via 868 MHz in Europe, meaning the remotes will continue to work if you have an internet outage. However the app and HomeKit integration is reliant on an internet connection, received via a 2.4GHz WiFi connection. The app requires a minimums of IOS 9.0 or Android 5.0.
The VELUX ACTIVE starter pack includes the required gateway, one indoor climate sensor and a departure switch. It retails for an impressively low £219.99 with additional indoor climate sensors for €99 / £87.
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A group of researchers has devised a blockchain-based mechanism to perform legal functions in a so-called “digital court,” according to an April 6 announcement.
Professors Hitoshi Matsushima from the University of Tokyo, and Shunya Noda from the University of British Columbia, have been leading the project, which aims to settle legal disputes without the need for a “costly legal process.”
In the announcement, the University of Tokyo clarified that this would be an extension of existing ideas for smart contracts without a centralized administration.
A digital court’s advantages and challenges
The University says that the benefit of the system is that most stages occur away from the blockchain, which is only invoked to maintain records of the parties involved in the dispute.
Professor Matsushima provided additional details regarding the design of the blockchain-based mechanism:
“On suspected violation of some agreement, those involved post their opinions to this digital court. The court algorithmically aggregates the parties’ opinions and judges who violated their agreement. If the digital court judges that a party violated the agreement, the party is fined by withholding a deposit made during the initial agreement.”
However, they clarify that there is a key factor that they must face with this mechanism. The technology, according to the researchers, has received “bad press” due to its decentralized nature. In fact, they expressed concern that the digital court would be open to the same issue.
Responding to such concerns, Matsushima said the following:
“Blockchains in some ways are a double-edged sword. But this kind of system signals the dawn of a new economic paradigm that must be embraced and explored rather than feared and ignored.”
Prior example cases
This “digital court” mechanism is not new in the world. Cointelegraph reported on February 12 that Aragon Court had launched a decentralized online court.
At that time, the team behind the design of the system aimed to eliminate “traditional artificial barriers such as national jurisdictions or the borders of a single country” when it comes to mediating disputes.
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Secluded and peaceful with winding mountainside streets, Eureka Springs, Arkansas has flair like no other town. Streets are lined with Victorian homes hugging cliff sides, and the entire downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places. Eureka Springs, Arkansas has block after block of one-of-a-kind shops, boutiques, fine art galleries, craft emporiums, spas, museums, and restaurants. Festivals and events span everything from blues, jazz, and opera to car shows to UFOs, antiques and the arts. Historic hotels and unique bed and breakfast inns, motels, cottages, and cabins accommodate visitors.
Nestled in the heart of the Ozarks, outdoor opportunities abound. Trout fishing is popular on the White River, and canoeing and fishing are popular on the Kings River. Beaver Lake offers the excitement of water sports, camping, fishing, and the entire area is popular for mountain biking and hiking.
UPCOMING EVENTS
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Fiji Reserve Bank Governor Barry Whiteside with Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama at the launch of the commemorative currency.
Fiji have taken their adoration for their Olympic gold medal-winning sevens side to another level, creating commemorative $7 notes and 50-cent coins in the team's honour.
The rugby sevens-mad Pacific Island nation made history in claiming gold at last year's Rio Games, the first Olympic medal for the country.
The triumph made the players heroes in their homeland, something no better evidenced than this latest tribute.
Illustration: Fiji Government/ Facebook The two sides of Fiji's commemorative coin minted in honour of their Olympic gold-winning rugby sevens team.
The Fiji Reserve Bank revealed the commemorative notes and coins at a launch with Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama on Thursday night.
READ MORE:
* Sevens coach departs Fiji after whale of a time
* NZ sevens coach says team 'let ourselves down'
DAVID ROGERS/GETTY IMAGES Fiji coach Ben Ryan and player Ro Dakuwaqa celebrate their gold medal success at the Rio Olympic Games.
Two million copies of the $7 note and one million copies of the coin would be put into circulation, the Fiji Reserve Bank said in a statement.
The two sides of Fiji's new $7 bill. Illustrations: Fiji Government/ Facebook
The mostly blue note features a horizontal picture of the squad posing with their gold medals after the final on one side, while the other side features a vertical action picture of captain Osea Kolinisau with an inset picture of their English coach Ben Ryan.
Fiji's historic win, capped by a 43-7 thrashing of Great Britain in the final, also brought immense adulation for Ryan. Ryan's face appeared on one side of the commemorative coin.
Fiji's new 50c Coin - what a journey I've had. #veilomani pic.twitter.com/EpIrOxYZ0f — Ben Ryan (@benjaminryan) April 20, 2017
Ryan, who stepped down as Fiji coach after the Olympic success, had earlier been given the chiefly name of Ratu Peni Raiyani Laitinara and three acres of land by the people of the Serua province, where he lived during his three years in the country. He is also due to receive the Fiji Order of Merit.
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Toronto FC announced Tuesday that the club has signed forward Terrence Boyd and will be added to the roster upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC).
“We are excited to welcome Terrence and his family to the club. Terrence is a player that we’ve tracked for years during his time with the U.S. National Team and in Germany,” said Toronto FC General Manager Ali Curtis. “He is an experienced, attacking player that is capable of scoring goals in MLS. We’re looking forward to him joining our preseason and integrating himself into the group.”
Boyd, 27, has played the last three seasons with SV Darmstadt 98 in Germany’s 2. Bundesliga, making 44 appearances and registering five goals and two assists. Boyd has earned 14 caps with the U.S. National team. He made his debut on February 29, 2012 in a friendly match against Italy. His most recent cap came on October 11, 2016, where he came on as a substitute in a 1-1 friendly against New Zealand.
Boyd began his career with Hertha BSC II (reserve team of Hertha BSC) in 2009 and remained with the club until 2011. He made 44 appearances, scoring 15 goals and adding six assists in all competitions. He then signed with German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and played one season with their reserve squad Borussia Dortmund II. He made 32 appearances with 20 goals and five assists in all competitions. Ahead of the 2012 season, Boyd signed with Austrian club Rapid Wien. In his first season the club earned a top three finish in the table and secured a third qualifying round place in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League. During his three years with Rapid Wien, he made 80 appearances, scoring 37 goals and 11 assists in all competitions. Rapid Wien sold him to RB Leipzig (Austria) in the summer of 2014 and remained with the club before joining Darmstadt in 2017.
TRANSACTION: Toronto FC sign forward Terrence Boyd
TERRENCE BOYD
Position: Forward
Height: 6’2
Weight: 180 lbs.
Birthdate: February 16, 1991 (Age – 27)
Birth Place: Bremen, Germany
Nationality: American
Last Club: SV Darmstadt 98
Pronunciation: “BOID”
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Wallabies fullback Israel Folau has been ruled out of Saturday's Test against South Africa with an ankle injury.
The fullback injured his ankle against the All Blacks in Sydney's Bledisloe Cup opener and missed the Wallabies' Auckland Test with the issue.
He was on track to return to the Wallabies side in Brisbane but pulled up sore on Saturday morning and pulled out of the clash against the Springboks.
Folau's 11th-hour withdrawal is the second major blow for the Wallabies after flanker David Pocock was ruled out with a neck injury on Friday.
Dane Haylett-Petty will move to fullback with Jack Maddocks on the wing and Tom Banks will come into the 23.
Folau's absence will only intensify the pressure on the Wallabies in a must-win clash against the Springboks in Brisbane.
The Wallabies have won just one of their five Tests this year and sit last in the Rugby Championship after two rounds.
The Wallabies take on South Africa on Saturday September 8, kicking off at 8pm AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS, Channel Ten, Macquarie Radio and RUGBY.com.au RADIO. Buy tickets here.
TEAM
Wallabies to face South Africa
1. Scott Sio (47 Tests)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (84 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (25 Tests)
4. Rory Arnold (15 Tests)
5. Adam Coleman (25 Tests)
6. Lukhan Tui (9 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (84 Tests)
8. Pete Samu (5 Tests)
9. Will Genia (92 Tests)
10. Kurtley Beale (76 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (13 Tests)
12. Matt Toomua (35 Tests)
13. Reece Hodge (29 Tests)
14. Jack Maddocks (2 Tests)
15. Dane Haylett-Petty (23 Tests)
Reserves
16. Folau Faingaa (1 Test)
17. Tom Robertson (23 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou (4 Tests)
19. Izack Rodda (9 Tests)
20. Ned Hanigan (13 Tests)
21. Joe Powell (4 Tests)
22. Bernard Foley (60 Tests)
23. Tom Banks (1 Test)
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Greg Craig, former White House counsel to Barack Obama, is set to face trial on a felony charge of lying to and misleading Justice Department officials about his work with Paul Manafort for Ukraine’s government. | Susan Walsh/AP Photo Legal Mueller fallout continues as Greg Craig trial opens
The last time reporters and photographers scrambled after the Washington power lawyer Greg Craig as he entered the federal courthouse blocks from the Capitol, he was shepherding a high-profile defendant — Gen. James “Hoss” Cartwright — to face charges of lying in a leak investigation.
On Monday, the press scrum will again descend on the former Obama White House counsel as he makes his way into U.S. District Court, but the cameras will be pointed squarely at him. This time, Craig’s the one in the defendant’s chair, set to face trial on a felony charge of lying to and misleading Justice Department officials about his work with Paul Manafort for Ukraine’s government.
Craig, 74, isn’t the only veteran of the Washington establishment to play a starring role in the two cases. Key to both narratives is a prominent and well-connected journalist: New York Times correspondent David Sanger.
The centerpiece of the government’s case against Craig involves his delivery to Sanger on Dec. 11, 2012, of a 186-page report that Craig and other lawyers at Skadden Arps had worked on for months examining Ukraine’s prosecution and conviction of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on corruption charges.
U.S. prosecutors say that when Craig reached out to Sanger, the longtime D.C. lawyer was using his personal connections to kick off a carefully choreographed public relations plan designed to maximize the political benefit of the report for Ukraine’s president at the time, Viktor Yanukovych. In doing so, Craig was violating the Foreign Agent Registration Act because he had never registered as an agent for Ukraine, prosecutors allege.
Craig’s defense contends that in his dealings with Sanger, Craig wasn’t really acting for his client, but was trying to protect himself and his law firm. Craig’s lawyers and allies say that in the months leading up to release of the report, Manafort and others close to Yanukovych made plain that they were planning to spin the review as a vindication for the Ukrainian government and an endorsement of the fairness of Tymoshenko’s trial.
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Craig’s prosecution comes amid a broad effort by the Justice Department to step up enforcement of FARA, but his allies suggest that he’s being singled out because of the case’s connections to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and to Manafort.
“It’s really off that the first-ever prosecution of this kind of thing would be for someone talking to a journalist and saying things to him that were accurate,” said Stuart Taylor, a former New York Times reporter and close friend of Craig’s. “That’s something to be applauded, not indicted for. … What harm was done? What villainous thing has happened?”
According to Craig’s defense, his move to get the report to Sanger was not the opening salvo in Ukraine’s public-relations barrage, but rather a defensive parry by Craig to get the report to a journalist likely to capture the report’s ambivalent tone and findings about Tymoshenko’s treatment.
“There was indeed a media plan, and Mr. Craig was an impediment to it,” defense attorney William Murphy said during a pretrial hearing Friday. “He obstructed it. He detoured it. … He was never a part of the media plan, and that was his state of mind at the time that he talked to David Sanger.”
But prosecutor Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez said Friday that this notion was belied by Manafort’s reaction after Craig spoke to journalists about the report.
“Well done,” Manafort wrote to Craig. “The pro has emerged again. … The initial rollout has been very effective and your backgrounding has been key to it all.”
Two days later, Manafort followed up with another message: “People in Kiev are very happy. You are ‘THE MAN.’”
But defense lawyers contend that by the time of the final rollout of the report, Craig was gravely concerned that Manafort, his aide Rick Gates and the public relations firm FTI Consulting were going to distort the findings so badly that it would haunt Craig and his firm.
“FTI and Manafort and Gates had to lie about the report in order to convince their client, Mr. Yanukovych, that they had done a great job,” Murphy said.
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson said all the various emails about spinning the report and boasting about favorable news accounts left her suspecting that some of those involved were claiming credit for things they had little or nothing to do with.
“Part of the problem with all these guys is they’re all PR guys,” the judge said. “They take credit for the good stuff. You know, Manafort always takes credit for the good stuff, he doesn’t take credit for the bad stuff.”
The trial’s focus on the art of spinning journalists may fuel existing suspicion in some quarters that the Washington press corps, policymakers and advocates are too intimate.
Jonathan Hawker, a former FTI consultant who worked on the rollout of the report, told the FBI that Craig suggested that he and Sanger planned to discuss the project over drinks. “Hawker recalled Craig mentioning in a call he and Sanger would have a glass of wine when he went by,” an FBI report says.
The indictment plays up the significance of Craig’s efforts, saying he “hand-delivered an exclusive advance copy of the Report to [Sanger’s] home.”
The full story, as is often the case, seems to be a bit more mundane. A defense filing on Friday says that, when Craig showed up to deliver the report, Sanger wasn’t there, so the veteran D.C. attorney left the document behind Sanger’s storm door.
The two men did speak by phone and trade emails about the report, court papers say, but if Craig’s aim was to put a pro-Ukraine spin on the document, it’s not evident from the Times’ skeptical, 621-word article.
Sanger handed the story off to the paper’s Moscow bureau chief at the time, David Herszenhorn, who got the lead byline. Under the headline “Failings Found in Trial of Ukrainian Ex-Premier,” the article emphasized that Tymoshenko’s rights were violated during the trial but also noted that Craig’s report “seemed to side heavily” with Yanukovych’s government, particularly on the question of his political rival’s guilt.
Herszenhorn, now the chief Brussels correspondent for POLITICO Europe, got the only on-the-record quote from Craig to appear in the article. That comment made a point unhelpful to Yanukovych: that Craig and the Skadden team had not tried to analyze whether Tymoshenko was targeted for political reasons.
Just what else Craig said to Sanger and Herszenhorn nearly seven years ago could be crucial to the case, but the only direct testimony jurors seem likely to hear on that point will be from Craig, who lawyers have indicated they expect will testify in his own defense.
The two reporters referred questions to New York Times attorney David McCraw, who defended the story.
“The Times wrote an appropriately skeptical story [that] raised questions about the political nature of the trial and about the compensation that Mr. Craig’s firm was paid for the report,” McCraw said.
The Times article said Craig wouldn’t comment on the funding of the report. The bulk of the more than $4 million came from a Ukrainian steel oligarch, Victor Pinchuk. Prosecutors say part of why Craig did not register was to avoid revealing the financing for the report. They also suggest he didn’t want to register because it could affect his ability to serve in a high government post in a future administration.
McCraw said he’d gotten no sign from either the prosecution or the defense that the reporters would be called as witnesses.
Journalists generally seek to avoid testifying in court, but in the leak-related case that Craig handled in 2016, the Times reporter submitted an unusual written statement seeking leniency for Cartwright and downplaying the significance of the four-star general’s role in Sanger’s reporting on the U.S.- and Israeli-led effort to infect Iran’s nuclear program with the Stuxnet computer virus. Cartwright pleaded guilty to lying in the case, but while he was awaiting sentencing, President Barack Obama granted him a full pardon.
Sanger also testified at the 2007 trial of Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, as did other prominent journalists, like Tim Russert, Judith Miller and Robert Novak.
The inquiry into Craig’s activities that followed the 2012 Times article apparently went dormant the next year after Justice officials agreed Craig wasn’t required to register. Mueller’s team began looking at the issue again as it investigated Manafort and Gates. Craig was interviewed twice by Mueller’s office before the issue was handed off to prosecutors in New York and then others in Washington, who obtained the indictment of Craig in April.
During the pretrial hearing Friday that ran for four hours without a break, Jackson seemed surprised as prosecutors and defense attorneys ticked off the individuals who were involved with Craig’s Ukraine project and are mentioned in emails and memos, but are not expected to take the witness stand.
They include Manafort, who was convicted at trial of tax and bank fraud and later pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent for Ukraine and is serving a seven-year prison sentence; Alex Van Der Zwaan, a former Skadden lawyer who worked on the Ukraine project with Craig, got 30 days in prison for lying to Mueller’s team and was deported; Konstantin Kilimnik, Manafort’s right-hand man in Ukraine who the FBI suspects has ties to Russian intelligence, was indicted at Mueller’s request on obstruction of justice charges and is reportedly in Russia; and Tony Podesta, a longtime Washington lobbyist who has not been charged with any crime but whose firm imploded in 2017 amid the Mueller investigation.
“There are going to be a lot of empty chairs in the courtroom,” Craig lawyer William Taylor declared on Friday, previewing a potential defense move to suggest that the prosecution case has too many loose ends.
Rick Gates, who is cooperating with prosecutors as he awaits sentencing on conspiracy and false-statement charges brought by Mueller, is expected to be the marquee prosecution witness. The key defense witness will probably be Craig himself.
Defense attorneys made clear last week that they intend to blast the absent Manafort and the present Gates as admitted and serial liars. However, in response to a query from the judge, both sides said they didn’t plan to broach a topic that caused a ruckus when raised at Manafort’s trial in Virginia last year: claims that Gates used some funds related to the Ukraine work to finance an extramarital affair.
Another twist in the case is that while the indictment alleges that Craig illegally failed to file as a foreign agent, he is not charged with that offense, but solely with perpetrating a scheme designed to cover up his activities. The statute of limitations on his alleged failure to register as an agent for Ukraine ran out last year, despite a half-year extension his lawyers agreed to as they tried to head off the case.
Jackson said on Friday that the question of whether Craig was obligated to register under FARA is “somewhat tangential” to the scheme-to-mislead charge he now faces.
In January, Skadden agreed to pay the U.S. government the $4.6 million the firm earned on the work and to retroactively register as an agent for Ukraine. Prosecutors agreed not to press charges over the episode as part of a deal in which Skadden agreed to cooperate with investigators.
Several Skadden partners are expected to testify at the trial, along with at least one associate at the firm who is now a Senate Judiciary Committee counsel, Alex Haskell.
Craig was facing two similar false-statement counts until last week, when the judge dismissed one because of uncertainty about its applicability to Craig’s case. He faces up to five years and a $250,000 fine if convicted on the remaining charge.
Sentencing guidelines will call for a lesser term, including the potential of no prison time at all, but any felony conviction is likely to cause Craig to lose his law license, which he has held for the past 46 years.
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Resist the urge to turn all of your St. Patrick’s Day food an unsettling shade of green. While the green food coloring goes well in beer, we wouldn’t want you missing out on the true experience of these classic Irish favorites!
Leaning heavily on the potato, vegan Irish cuisine focuses on the main crops grown in Ireland: barley, oats, wheat, cabbage, kale, tomatoes, carrots, onions, and of course, potatoes. Warm, comforting foods like shepherd’s pie and stew (recipes below) are popular on the Emerald Isle.
The Irish — and those celebrating St. Patrick’s day everywhere — also enjoy plenty of popular Irish drinks on March 17th. For vegans, pass on the Guinness, which contains animal products including gelatin, casein and animal albumin. Instead, celebrate Irish traditions with whiskey, cider, porters or stouts. Or, make your own Irish coffee or Bailey’s Irish Cream liquor.
Now, back to the food. Here are five delicious Irish dishes sourced from some of our favorite vegan bloggers to help you celebrate a vegan St. Patrick’s Day!:
Colcannon from VegRecipes.org
1lb (about 3 large) golden potatoes, cubed
1lb (about 3 large) golden potatoes, cubed 1 small bunch curly kale or cabbage, shredded
soy or other non-dairy milk (optional)
2 tbsp vegan butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
salt and black pepper
Place potatoes in boiling water, and cook until they mash easily under a fork. Add a little non-dairy milk or cooking water if they appear dry.
Heat some oil in a medium frying pan; add onions and cook for a minute. Add shredded kale and cover. Stir occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until soft.
Add the onions and kale to the mashed potatoes, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Heat remaining oil or vegan butter in the pan. When very hot, move the potato mixture to the pan and spread. Fry until brown then cut roughly into pieces and flip, cooking the other side.
Serve in bowls with dabs of vegan butter.
I like to serve Colcannon with a side of Baked Courgettes, or zucchini as we know them stateside. Low in calories but high in antioxidants, beta-carotene, vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, and potassium, these veggies are best topped with a bit of vegan cheese and served hot out of the oven—they’ll be just juicy enough and still have that perfect crunch.
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Automatic Undo/Redo Using SQLite
This page demonstrates how to use triggers to implement undo/redo logic for an application that uses SQLite as its application file format.
Object-Oriented Design
This design note considers the database to be a collection of objects. Each SQL table is a class. Each row is an instance of that class. There are, of course, other ways to interpret an SQL database schema, and the techniques described here work equally well under alternative interpretations, but an object-oriented view seems be more natural to most contemporary programmers.
Capture Changes Using Triggers
The core idea is to create a special table (named "UNDOLOG" in the example) that holds information needed to undo/redo changes to the database. For each class (table) in the database that wants to participate in the undo/redo, triggers are created that cause entries to be made in the UNDOLOG table for each DELETE, INSERT, and UPDATE of the participating class. The UNDOLOG entries consist of ordinary SQL statements the can be played back to reverse the changes.
For example, suppose you wanted undo/redo on a class (table) that looks like this:
CREATE TABLE ex1(a,b,c);
Triggers to record changes to table EX1 might look like this:
CREATE TEMP TRIGGER ex1_it AFTER INSERT ON ex1 BEGIN INSERT INTO undolog VALUES(NULL,'DELETE FROM ex1 WHERE rowid='||new.rowid); END; CREATE TEMP TRIGGER ex1_ut AFTER UPDATE ON ex1 BEGIN INSERT INTO undolog VALUES(NULL,'UPDATE ex1 SET a='||quote(old.a)||',b='||quote(old.b)||',c='||quote(old.c)||' WHERE rowid='||old.rowid); END; CREATE TEMP TRIGGER ex1_dt BEFORE DELETE ON ex1 BEGIN INSERT INTO undolog VALUES(NULL,'INSERT INTO ex1(rowid,a,b,c) VALUES('||old.rowid||','||quote(old.a)||','||quote(old.b)|| ','||quote(old.c)||')'); END;
After each INSERT on ex1, the ex1_it trigger constructs text of a DELETE statement that will undo the INSERT. The ex1_ut trigger constructs an UPDATE statement that will undo the effects of an UPDATE. And the ex1_dt trigger constructs a statement that will undo the effects of a DELETE.
Note the use of the quote() SQL function in these triggers. The quote() function converts its argument into a form that is appropriate for inclusion in an SQL statement. Numeric values come through unchanged. Single quotes are added before and after strings and any internal single quotes are escaped. BLOB values are rendered using SQL-standard hexadecimal BLOB notation. The use of the quote() function ensures that the SQL statements used to undo and redo are always safe from SQL injection.
Automatic Creation Of Triggers
Triggers such as the above could be entered manually, but that is tedious. An important feature of the technique demonstrated below is that the triggers are generated automatically.
The implementation language for the example code is TCL, though you can easily do the same thing in another programming language. Remember that the code here is a demonstration of the technique, not a drop-in module that will automatically do everything for you. The demonstration code shown below is derived from actual code in production use. But you will need to make changes to tailor it to your application.
To activate the undo/redo logic, invoke the undo::activate command with all classes (tables) that are to participate in the undo/redo as arguments. Use undo::deactivate, undo::freeze, and undo::unfreeze to control the state of the undo/redo mechanism.
The undo::activate command creates temporary triggers in the database that record all changes made to the tables named in the arguments.
Application Interface
After a sequence of changes that define a single undo/redo step, invoke the undo::barrier command to define the limit of that step. In an interactive program, you can call undo::event after any change and undo::barrier will be called automatically as an idle callback.
When the user presses the Undo button, invoke undo::undo. Invoke undo::redo when the user presses the Redo button.
On each call to undo::undo or undo::redo, the undo/redo module automatically invokes methods status_refresh and reload_all in all toplevel namespaces. These methods should be defined to reconstruct the display or otherwise update the state of the program based on the undone/redone changes to the database.
The demonstration code below includes a status_refresh method that grays-out or activates the Undo and Redo buttons and menu entries depending on whether or not there is anything to be undone or redone. You will need to redefine this method to control the Undo and Redo buttons in your application.
The demonstration code assumes that the SQLite database is opened used as a database object named "db".
Example Code
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Not closely enough, obviously. Why was he allowed to return to France after training with the Islamic State? The Islamic State is at war with France. Going there should be considered an act of treason, disqualifying one from returning to the country.
“French train ‘gunman’ named, as the humble hero who stopped him waves leaving hospital,” by Scott Campbell, Levi Winchester, Alix Culbertson, and Helen Barnett, Sunday Express, August 22, 2015 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
THE man suspected of being the crazed gunman who tried to open fire on a packed train has been named, as the hero who stopped him was seen leaving hospital.
Counter-terrorism experts have named the suspect as Ayoub El Khazzani, a 26-year-old Moroccan who has links to Islamic State and was being watched by French police.
Spencer Stone, the US Air Force serviceman who stopped him in his tracks, was today personally commended by President Barack Obama.
Mr Stone ran down the aisle of the Amsterdam to Paris train to tackle the would-be terrorist.
The US Air Force serviceman was injured in the hand as he came face to face with the AK-47 wielding attacker.
He waved quickly as he left the Lille hospital this evening, before slipping into a black car with diplomatic number plates.
President Obama telephoned Mr Stone along with US National Guard soldier Alek Skarlatos, 22, and Anthony Sadler, to congratulate them for their courage and quick action.
The American president wished Stone a full and speedy recovery, and expressed how proud all Americans are of their extraordinary bravery.
The group thwarted the Morrocan [sic] gunman’s attempts to take out the train passengers after hearing his loading his gun in the toilets.
The gunman stormed out and opened fire shortly after crossing the French border but fortunately the trio and British passenger Chris Norman overpowered him and tied him up before he could slaughter passengers.
He was carrying at least nine magazines of ammunition with enough rounds to kill all 554 passengers on the train.
US National Guard soldier Alek Skarlatos, 22, said he helped tackle the attacker with his friend Spencer Stone, who is in the US Air Force, who was stabbed in the neck.
He said: “I just got back from Afghanistan last month, and this was my vacation from Afghanistan.”
Their friend, Anthony Sadler, was travelling with them and described the moment the pair jumped into action.
He said: “As he was cocking it to shoot it, Alek just yells, `Spencer, go!’ And Spencer runs down the aisle.
“Spencer makes first contact, he tackles the guy, Alek wrestles the gun away from him, and the gunman pulls out a box cutter and slices Spencer a few times. And the three of us beat him until he was unconscious.
“He was just telling us to give back his gun. ‘Give me back my gun! Give me back my gun!’ But we just carried on beating him up and immobilised him and that was it.”
A Spanish anti-terrorist official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed El Khazzani had lived in Spain until last year, moved to France then travelled to Syria where he is believed to have trained with ISIS before returning to France.
French Interior Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said the suspect had been flagged by Spanish authorities last year for links to ISIS….
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LISTEN TO ARTICLE 2:03 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share Tweet Post Email
Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
Microsoft Corp. has agreed to invest about $100 million in Uber Technologies Inc. at a valuation of approximately $50 billion, a person with knowledge of the matter said.
The deal was finalized earlier on Friday, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing a private deal.
Uber, which was previously valued at $40 billion when it raised financing earlier this year, is benefiting from investors who view its car-booking technology as the future of transport. The San Francisco-based company, led by Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick, is using the cash to expand operations to cities across the globe.
“We filed to authorize this new funding more than two months ago,” said Kristin Carvell, a spokeswoman for Uber. “The filing is available to the public. We aren’t commenting on additional speculation.”
Tony Imperati, a spokesman for Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft, declined to comment.
The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that Uber closed a $1 billion financing round at a valuation of about $51 billion, and that Microsoft participated in the deal.
Microsoft last month sold a portion of its Bing mapping unit to Uber, which offered positions to about 100 Microsoft employees who work on image acquisition and data analysis as part of the mapping team for Bing, Microsoft’s Web-search engine.
Uber Expansion
The two companies have also combined to integrate Uber into Microsoft’s Cortana voice-controlled assistant so that it can hail an Uber ride for users as a scheduled meeting on their calendar approaches. An investment, if it happens, would be a recognition that the two companies have worked together in the past and plan to remain partners in the future, the person said.
Uber, founded in 2009 by Kalanick and Garrett Camp, has expanded to more than 300 cities in at least 57 countries. The service has disrupted established taxi and limousine companies, which have often responded with protests. Uber has also upset regulators, who have sued or banned the company from California to Brazil.
(Updates with investment amount in first paragraph.)
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The weather may be cooling down, but FFG Live is just heating up! Read on to discover what we have on tap for live stream programming for the month of October!
Join us the first week of October for an Ask Me Anything with the developers of two of our biggest Star Wars™ lines. On October 1st, the developers of Star Wars™: Legion will sit down to answer your questions! On October 3rd, it’s the Star Wars: X-Wing developers turn in the hot seat! You can ask your questions here for Legion and here for X-Wing!
On October 8th, get your first look at the Ms. Marvel Hero Pack for Marvel Champions: The Card Game! Ms. Marvel will be the second hero pack coming to the game after the Captain America Hero Pack, and this will be the very first time the pack is shown off to the public, be sure not to miss it!
The middle of October will see the World Championships for both Star Wars: X-Wing and Star Wars: Destiny! We’ve already posted our streaming schedule for the week of October 16th, but be sure to join us on October 10th for a preview of what’s to come featuring the developers of both games!
We’ll return to our normal schedule on October 22nd with a Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game stream featuring new cards from the Defenders of Rokugan and Seekers of Wisdom Clan Packs! Prepare for new spoilers as developer Tyler Parrott guides us through the two newest Clan Packs for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game!
After one drank an abomination of a milkshake, and the other scorched their taste buds with a burning hot tamale salsa, KeyForge developers Brad and Danny will duke it out once more to determine who is the superior KeyForge player on October 24th. What cruel fate awaits the loser of this winner-take-all matchup?!
On October 29th, celebrate the impending release of Marvel Champions: The Card Game with a celebration giveaway! We’ll be taking on the some of the toughest villains in the Marvel Universe while giving away copies of the upcoming Marvel Champions: The Card Game Core Set!
Finally, join us on Halloween for our second session of Flights of Fantasy, our new actual-play roleplaying adventure using the Genesys system! Our heroes adventure in the Realms of Terrinoth is just beginning, what does GM Sam Stewart have in store for our adventurers? Find out on this very special Halloween stream on October 31st!
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Le nombre de jeunes adultes vivant chez leurs parents continue d'augmenter au Canada, surtout en Ontario, où le prix des logements explose, mais aussi au Québec, selon les données du recensement 2016 publiées hier par Statistique Canada. Dans le Grand Montréal, un jeune adulte de 20 à 34 ans sur trois habite chez ses parents. Explications.
L'EXEMPLE DE SARLIJI
Sarliji Atputharajah aura 29 ans la semaine prochaine. Elle travaille aux ressources humaines dans une grande entreprise et habite encore chez ses parents, dans le quartier Côte-des-Neiges. « Il y a une part culturelle : bien qu'on puisse le faire, pour une femme, c'est mal de quitter la maison avant de se marier », souligne Sarliji, dont la famille est originaire du Sri Lanka. Ses parents, dit-elle, ne seraient pas à l'aise avec le fait qu'elle parte autrement que pour se marier ou pour saisir une occasion d'emploi à l'extérieur. Sarliji aime aussi l'idée de partager les coûts avec ses parents plutôt que d'assumer seule le loyer, l'électricité, etc. « Et il faut aussi dire que je ne suis vraiment pas malheureuse à la maison », dit-elle en riant.
TENDANCE À LA HAUSSE
Sarliji est loin d'être la seule dans cette situation. La proportion de jeunes adultes qui restent chez leurs parents est en augmentation depuis plusieurs décennies, et les données de 2016 confirment cette tendance : un peu plus du tiers (34,7 %) des Canadiens de 20 à 34 ans vivent désormais avec au moins un de leurs parents. Les jeunes Ontariens sont particulièrement enclins à rester chez papa et maman - on parle de près d'un jeune sur deux dans les régions de Toronto, Oshawa et Hamilton. Mais la tendance se fait aussi sentir dans le Grand Montréal, où cette proportion est passée de 29 % en 2001 à 33,1 % en 2016.
MULTIFACTORIEL
Comment expliquer cette tendance ? « C'est un phénomène complexe, et plusieurs facteurs agissent de manière interreliée pour l'expliquer », dit d'emblée Julien Bérard-Chagnon, démographe à Statistique Canada. Il y a d'abord le coût de la vie, qui peut être un frein au départ du foyer familial. À Toronto, souligne M. Bérard-Chagnon, pas moins de 47,4 % des jeunes adultes vivaient chez leurs parents en 2016. « Il y a aussi les normes culturelles chez certains groupes d'immigrants, ajoute-t-il. On sait que Montréal a quand même plus d'immigrants que le reste du Québec. » Dans le Grand Montréal, 33,1 % des jeunes adultes vivent avec leurs parents, soit 3 % de plus que la moyenne provinciale. Dans la région métropolitaine de Québec, on parle de 23,8 %.
REPORT DU PROJET FAMILIAL
« Il y a un paquet de choses qui jouent, évidemment », croit aussi Céline Le Bourdais, professeure au département de sociologie de l'Université McGill et titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada en statistiques sociales et changement familial. Outre les facteurs économiques et multiculturels, elle rappelle que les jeunes vont à l'école plus longtemps et ont tendance à fonder une famille plus tard. « Et en plus, quand ils ont une relation intime avec un copain ou une copine, très souvent, ils peuvent vivre leur vie de couple chez leurs parents, souligne Mme Le Bourdais. Alors que nous, les baby-boomers, si on voulait une vie de couple, il fallait partir. Ça ne se passait pas dans la maison ! »
DIFFÉRENCES GÉNÉRATIONNELLES
Céline Le Bourdais voit des différences générationnelles dans l'âge auquel on quitte le nid familial. Elle s'était penchée sur la question, il y a près de 20 ans, en analysant des données de Statistique Canada de 1995 avec une collègue démographe. « Quand on regardait les générations plus récentes, chez les jeunes nés à partir de 1975, on constatait qu'ils avaient des comportements qui ressemblaient à ceux de leurs grands-parents, et non de leurs parents », explique-t-elle. Leurs parents - des baby-boomers - avaient quitté la maison tôt comparativement à leurs propres parents, nés dans les années 20 et 30. « Ceux-là étaient partis tard, parce que dans ce temps-là, on restait avec nos parents jusqu'au jour où on se mariait. »
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HashFast Technologies, a bitcoin equipment manufacturer, announced bankruptcy last year and since then it has been surrounded by a number of legal troubles.
Plaintiff Pete Morici, a bitcoin miner, claimed that he purchased two "Baby Jets", specialized bitcoin mining hardware devices, worth $11,200 of bitcoin from HashFast but did not receive his order as promised nor did he receive any refund for the money invested. Alleging breach of contract and fraud, Morici sued HashFast Technologies, HashFast LLC, CEO Eduardo deCastro and chief technology officer Simon Barber, in January last year.
"HashFast was capitalized with a total of $641,643, a number that was totally inadequate to undertake production and development of bitcoin mining equipment (which would cost several millions of dollars)," Morici's 22-page complaint read.
Judge Edward Davila ruled in favor of the plaintiff by approving the claim that HashFast violated the Unfair Competition Law (UCL) - which prohibits "acts or practices which are unlawful, or unfair or fraudulent" - and additional allegations of fraud.
The order signed by the judge read, "Based on the foregoing discussion, the court finds that Plaintiff has sufficiently pled a UCL claim against Barber. The court also finds the fraud claim sufficient insofar as it is based on statements Barber made regarding the Baby Jet shipping date and the availability of refunds in bitcoin."
However, the judge dismissed claims against Simon Barber, stating:"With regard to restitution against Barber individually, plaintiff contends that Barber personally benefitted from the unlawful business practices by taking salary bonuses from the proceeds received on undelivered BabyJet orders," Judge Davila said. "Again, although the allegations may ultimately prove untrue, that determination must wait for another day."
He added, "Plaintiff's allegations, however, do not support liability against Barber for statements describing whether BabyJets were 'in stock.'"
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HOUSTON – Sidewalks, streets, drainage, police and fire -- we all pay taxes to keep the city running. But if you live or own a business in one of more than two dozen special districts or zones in Houston, like Mehdi Banijamali, you pay an extra tax.
"What do you see that you've gotten out of it as a business owner?" reporter Amy Davis asked Banijamali.
"Nothing," he answered. "We've gotten nothing out of it."
Banijamali owns ARCOT Manufacturing on Houston's southeast side inside the Five Corners Improvement District created in 2011. The district taxes some 1,200 businesses within its 22 square miles. Board members then use the tax dollars to improve the area. Five Corners recently spent $229,000 on private security services and another $155,000 to replace street signs with nicer ones bearing the Five Corners logo.
"This is a waste of money," said Banijamali.
But exactly who City Council appointed to "waste" his money angers Banijamali even more: Richard Gonzalez, the owner of the now-shuttered tow company.
KPRC Channel 2 News showed viewers his arrest last month. He's accused of scamming dozens of drivers out of thousands of dollars, reeling them in through the city's Safe Clear program. Council appointed him as a board member of Five Corners in January 2014 while he was on probation for felony insurance fraud.
"How can someone with a criminal history be allowed to make tax decisions?" Banijamali asked.
We asked the same question.
"Should someone that has insurance fraud associated with his business be on that improvement board?" Davis asked Councilman Larry Green, who recommended Gonzalez for the board appointment.
"Well, I would think not," Green replied. "But at the end of the day, as council members, we rely on our lawyers and staff."
Channel 2 Investigates confirmed the only check the city of Houston makes before appointing members to these taxing boards is for delinquent taxes, to make sure they've paid up.
"For me, what has come out of this is an opportunity, as chair of the Ethics Committee, to revamp the policy for background checks for not only tax liens," Councilman Dwight Boykins said. "We need to check for criminal, violent and non-violent backgrounds, before they're appointed to boards and commissions."
The Five Corners manager immediately removed Gonzalez from the board when we told him about Gonzalez's record, claiming the same law that says convicted felons can't run for public office restricts them from also acting as appointed public servants.
"Under the statute, if he is a convicted felon, whether he is on probation or not, he cannot serve on this board," said David Hawes.
Mayor Sylvester Turner told Channel 2 through his spokesperson that he was asking the City Attorney about that interpretation of the statute and if it would extend to appointed board members. Hours before this story aired, he sent this statement:
“We have determined the system in place is workable and has proven adequate for the current situation. We will continue to utilize fingerprinting and background checks for Uber and other TNCs.” TNC is short for Transportation Network Company.
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Indonesian-subtitled trailer also streamed
Indonesian film distribution company Encore Films Indonesia announced on its Facebook page on Friday that Attack on Titan: End of the World , the second live-action Attack on Titan film, will open in Indonesia on September 30. The company also began streaming an Indonesian- and English-subtitled trailer for the film, which previews the film's theme song "SOS" by the band SEKAI NO OWARI.
ATTACK ON TITAN PART 2: END OF THE WORLD trailer The moment you've all been waiting for! ATTACK ON TITAN 2: END OF THE WORLD opens in Indonesia on 30 September! Check out the extremely awesome trailer and stay tuned for more exciting updates! Your AOT journey isn't complete without watching part 2!Like & Share now! Posted by Encore Films Indonesia on Friday, September 4, 2015
Attack on Titan: End of the World will open in Japanese theaters on September 19. The first movie opened in Japan on August 1, and in Indonesia on August 26. The film debuted at #1 in the Japanese box-office and earned about 600 million yen (about US$4.8 million) in its first weekend in Japan.
Encore Films Indonesia also unveiled the film's Indonesian poster on Monday.
The films star:
Haruma Miura as Eren
Haruma Miura as Eren
Kiko Mizuhara as Mikasa
Kanata Hongo as Armin
Satomi Ishihara as Hans/Hanji
Nanami Sakuraba as Sasha
Takahiro Miura as Jean
Hiroki Hasegawa as Shikishima
Ayame Misaki as Hiana
Pierre Taki as Souda
Jun Kunimura as Kubal
Shu Watanabe as Fukushi
Satoru Matsuo as Sannagi
Rina Takeda as Lil
The cast includes seven characters that are new to the film versions of the story. Hasegawa's character Shikishima holds the key to the films' story as "humanity's strongest man."
Director Shinji Higuchi stated that, with the supervision of Attack on Titan manga creator Hajime Isayama, the story is based on the world and characters of the manga, while incorporating new characters and new formidable enemies. Yuusuke Watanabe ( Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, live-action Gantz, Gantz II: Perfect Answer, 20th Century Boys, Gatchaman ) wrote the scripts. Film critic Tomohiro Machiyama, who is also friends with Isayama, worked on the scripts together with Isayama and Watanabe.
The band SEKAI NO OWARI is contributing the first and second films' theme songs "Anti-Hero" and "SOS," respectively.
Hajime Isayama's original Attack on Titan manga depicts the battles between humans and the giants who now rule the world outside humans' walled enclaves.
Isayama's original Attack on Titan manga has inspired four spinoff manga, a 25-episode television anime version that aired in 2013, and two compilation films, the second of which will open in June. Additionally, a second season of the television anime series is slated to air in 2016. Isayama launched the series in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine in 2009.
Elex Media Komputindo publishes Isayama's original Attack on Titan manga in Indonesia under its Level Comics imprint. Elex Media also published Ryo Suzukaze's Attack on Titan: Before the Fall light novel prequel series in Indonesia on June 24, also under its Level Comics imprint, and is also publishing Satoshi Shiki's Attack on Titan: Junior High comedy spinoff manga, and the Attack on Titan: Before the Fall manga, based on Suzukaze's light novel series.
[Via Kaori Nusantara]
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plane-crash2.jpg.jpeg
The four men who died in a plane crash in Willoughby Hills Monday night attended Case Western Reserve University.
(Plain Dealer)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Four men killed in a Monday night plane crash near Willoughby Hills were students at Case Western Reserve University.
William Felten, 19, of Saginaw, Michigan, Lucas Marcelli, 20, of Massillon, Abraham Pishevar, 18, of Rockville, Maryland, and John Hill, 18, St. Simons, Georgia, died in the crash.
In an email sent to university staff and students, university president Barbara Snyder confirmed that the four men attended the university.
The plane experienced engine trouble shortly after taking off and crossing Bishop Road into Willoughby Hills. Felton tried to return to the airport. The plane crashed and caught fire on impact.
All four men were trapped inside the plane and died.
Snyder said the university's counseling office will hold walk-in hours all day Tuesday to offer grief counseling. Monday was the first day of classes at the university, according to the academic calendar.
Kathie Livingston, who lives near the site of the crash, was one of several residents who saw the wreckage shortly after the plane crashed.
"The flames were white yellow," she said. "Not smoky red."
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"Introducing a Smart Bat is a big moment for the game," said Mike Trout. "Having Zepp combined with my signature bat will help give me an edge. I'm always looking to improve my swing and have consistency throughout the season."
Trout first worked with Zepp back in 2014 to use its 3D Swing Analyzer to track his hitting habits. Last year, the Angels outfielder collaborated with the company on a sensor that fits inside a game-day bat. For the Old Hickory version, the swing sensor is located in the knob of the bat rather than clipping on the end like the previous version. The advantage here is you don't have a tracker adding length to the end of your bat and the built-in version aims to provide feedback during games, not just in practice sessions. Yes, it's removable, but you don't have to take it out to charge it.
What's more, amateur baseball events by Perfect Game USA and Ripken Baseball have already approved the bat for in-game use. There's no word on pricing just yet, but if you're looking to take a few hacks, you'll be able to do just that this June.
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Almost a month after the NSSO data on unemployment was rejected by the government, expressing concerns over rampant political interference in data estimation,108 economists and social scientists on Thursday(March 14) called for the restoration of "institutional independence" and integrity of statistical organisations.
This appeal comes against the backdrop of controversy over the revision of gross domestic product (GDP) numbers and withholding employment data by the NSSO.
In their appeal both social scientists and economists highlighted the fact that until recently, India's statistical machinery enjoyed a high-level of reputation for the integrity of the data it produced on a range of economic and social parameters.
"The statistical machinery was often criticised for the quality of its estimates, but never were allegations made of political interference influencing decisions and the estimates themselves," they said in an appeal.
The signatories include Rakesh Basant (IIM-A), James Boyce (University of Massachusetts at Amherst, US), Emily Breza (Harvard University, US), Satish Deshpande (Delhi University), Patrick Francois (University of British Columbia, Canada), R Ramakumar (TISS, Mumbai), Hema Swaminathan (IIM-B) and Rohit Azad (JNU).
In their appeal, they have requested all professional economists, statisticians, and independent researchers to come together to raise their voice against the tendency "to suppress uncomfortable data" and impress upon the government to restore access and integrity to public statistics and re-establish institutional independence.
"Lately, the Indian statistics and the institutions associated with it have, however, come under a cloud for being influenced and indeed even controlled by political considerations," the statement said."
The statement also expressed concern over the withholding of Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) of NSSO and news reports that the PLFS of 2017-18 will be scrapped altogether by the government.
Two members of the National Statistical Commission (NSC), including the acting chairman, subsequently resigned because they felt the NSSO was delaying the release of the report, though the NSC itself had officially cleared it, they added.
The 108 experts, from across the globe, further said that in fact, any statistics that cast an iota of doubt on the achievement of the government seem to get revised or suppressed on the basis of some questionable methodology.
Also read: Agri, manufacturing sectors to push GDP growth to 7.2% in 2018-19: CSO
ALSO WATCH| Mood of The Nation: Who will win if elections are held today?
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makingqueerhistory answered:
First, thank you for coming to us, you didn’t come off as rude at all.
Well, we don’t have a tag or masterpost, but I can create a list of articles we have up at this point (May 14, 2018) that focuses on queer subjects from before Stonewall.
Sappho, the Poetess
Kristina, King of Sweden
Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum, and Occam’s Razor
Josephine Baker, a Woman with Eclectic Talents
Queer Women and AFAB People During the Holocaust
Magnus Hirschfeld, the Founder
Institute of Sexology, a Place of Learning
San Domino, Gay Island
The Bitten Peach and the Cut Sleeve
The End of the World War 2 Series
Vita Sackville-West: Creating a Legacy
Langston Hughes: the Poet
The Marriage of Jane and Paul Bowles
Bjornstjerne Bjornson, the Advocate
Osh-Tisch, the Warrior
The Trials of Oscar Wilde
Sir Ewan Forbes, the Doctor
Frida Kahlo: Lover of Self and Others
Albert D.J. Cashier
The Golden Orchid
Queen Christina, Queer Codes and Queer Coding (Part 2)
Queen Christina, Queer Codes and Queer Coding(Part 1)
Different from the Others, the Beginning
The Story of the Ladies of Llangollen
Wilfred Owen: Dating Your Heroes (And Writing Through Hard Times)
Virginia Woolf: Struggling (And Never Being Perfect)
Tamara de Lempicka’s Legacy
Tamara de Lempicka’s Life
Federico Garcia Lorca: Words that Scared a Country
Bricktop, and the Happy Ending
Bricktop, the Fabulous
Frank Kameny
Sophia Parnok, Russia’s Sappho
Annemarie Schwarzenbach
Alan L. Hart, Part 2
Alan L. Hart, Part 1
Defining Identities in North America, Part 2
Defining Identities in North America, Part 1
Alan Turing
Hatshepsut
Hamish Henderson
Elagabalus, the Empress
Billy Tipton and the Question of Gender
Takatāpui
Yukio Mishima
Kitty Genovese
Catherine Bernard: A question in studying asexual history
György Faludy
Edward Carpenter
Dawn Langley Hall
Zimri-Lim, King of Mari
Coccinelle
Lesbia Harford
Karl Heinrich Ulrichs
Frieda Belinfante Part 2
Frieda Belinfante Part 1
Eleanor Rykener
Redefining the Dandy: The Asexual Man of Fashion
I hope this helps!
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Global Automotive Composites Market: Overview
An automotive composite is an amalgamation of two or more materials with different properties with superior performance. Automotive composites can be used in a vehicle’s body in a single layer or in multiple layers. One material between two other materials when added together forms a sandwich composite that can be used for building of the roof and inner coatings of the vehicle. The automotive composites find application in the production and refurbishing of vehicles such as cars, utility vehicles. They are used as inner coatings of buses, vehicles, trucks, and vehicle interiors.
At present, automotive interiors such as dashboards, steering wheels, door panel, seat covers, etc., generate maximum demand for composite materials. Among the various types of composites, natural fiber reinforced polymer (NFRP) has wide application in automotive interiors, including seat trims, gear knobs, and flooring. However, the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) finds use in various luxury and sports cars for dashboards and other automotive interiors due to its enhanced strength-to-weight ratio and appearance. The market is characterized by the presence of a moderate number of players. On account of the prohibitively high upfront investment, however, it is difficult for aspiring players to foray into the market.
Global Automotive Composites Market: Drivers and Trends
One prominent growth driver in the global automotive composites market is the increasing pressure on automakers to bring down carbon emission. To that end, most are coming up with lightweight vehicles that guzzle less fuel. To manufacture such vehicles automotive composites are used which are almost 60% lighter than the traditional steel and iron, but have the same strength and stiffness. Automotive composites have other advantages too. They do not get corroded like steel and are unaffected by heat as well. They also lower the effect of an external impact on the vehicle. Overall, automotive composites provide enhanced properties while consuming less fuel. And this has resulted in their swift uptake.
A key trend in the global automotive composite market has been the steady growth of the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) in the past couple of years mainly on the back of technological progress and new high value applications. Despite hindrances in the form of volatile raw material prices and environmental concerns, the market is forecasted to expand further in the near future. Prominent composite manufacturers are upping their production capacities and are also spending on their research facilities to come up with enhanced technologies in order to lower the cost of CFRP composites.
Global Automotive Composite Market: Regional Outlook
Currently, North American dominates the automotive industry vis-à-vis growth and profitability on account of substantial automotive production. Its market has also been boosted by the increasing sales of light commercial vehicles. Going forward too, the North America market is predicted to see good growth, which will likely stoke demand for automotive composite materials.
Besides North America, Asia Pacific is predicted to be another key market in the near future in terms of contribution to revenue. China, which is one of the leading automobile manufacturers in the world and also a leading emitter of global greenhouse gases, is powering the Asia Pacific market along with Japan and Taiwan – which are two other highly polluted countries. Further, the upswing in the sales in passenger cars and commercial vehicles and policy support for green vehicles are also boosting the market in the region.
Companies Mentioned in Report
To present a detailed assessment of the competition prevailing in the global automotive composite market, the report profiles companies such as DSM Composite Resin, RTP, TETRA-DUR GmbH, DUPONT, Lorenz GmbH, and BASF.
Global Automotive Composite Market is segmented as:
Global Automotive Composite Market, by Geography
North America
Asia Pacific
Europe
Rest of the World
This report gives you access to decisive data such as:
Market growth drivers
Factors limiting market growth
Current market trends
Market structure
Market projections for the coming years
Key highlights of this report
Overview of key market forces propelling and restraining market growth
Up-to-date analyses of market trends and technological improvements
Pin-point analyses of market competition dynamics to offer you a competitive edge
An analysis of strategies of major competitors
An array of graphics and SWOT analysis of major industry segments
Detailed analyses of industry trends
A well-defined technological growth map with an impact-analysis
Offers a clear understanding of the competitive landscape and key product segments
This study by TMR is all-encompassing framework of the dynamics of the market. It mainly comprises critical assessment of consumers' or customers' journeys, current and emerging avenues, and strategic framework to enable CXOs take effective decisions.
Our key underpinning is the 4-Quadrant Framework EIRS that offers detailed visualization of four elements:
Customer E xperience Maps
xperience Maps I nsights and Tools based on data-driven research
nsights and Tools based on data-driven research Actionable R esults to meet all the business priorities
esults to meet all the business priorities Strategic Frameworks to boost the growth journey
The study strives to evaluate the current and future growth prospects, untapped avenues, factors shaping their revenue potential, and demand and consumption patterns in the global market by breaking it into region-wise assessment.
The following regional segments are covered comprehensively:
North America
Asia Pacific
Europe
Latin America
The Middle East and Africa
The EIRS quadrant framework in the report sums up our wide spectrum of data-driven research and advisory for CXOs to help them make better decisions for their businesses and stay as leaders.
Below is a snapshot of these quadrants.
1. Customer Experience Map
The study offers an in-depth assessment of various customers’ journeys pertinent to the market and its segments. It offers various customer impressions about the products and service use. The analysis takes a closer look at their pain points and fears across various customer touchpoints. The consultation and business intelligence solutions will help interested stakeholders, including CXOs, define customer experience maps tailored to their needs. This will help them aim at boosting customer engagement with their brands.
2. Insights and Tools
The various insights in the study are based on elaborate cycles of primary and secondary research the analysts engage with during the course of research. The analysts and expert advisors at TMR adopt industry-wide, quantitative customer insights tools and market projection methodologies to arrive at results, which makes them reliable. The study not just offers estimations and projections, but also an uncluttered evaluation of these figures on the market dynamics. These insights merge data-driven research framework with qualitative consultations for business owners, CXOs, policy makers, and investors. The insights will also help their customers overcome their fears.
3. Actionable Results
The findings presented in this study by TMR are an indispensable guide for meeting all business priorities, including mission-critical ones. The results when implemented have shown tangible benefits to business stakeholders and industry entities to boost their performance. The results are tailored to fit the individual strategic framework. The study also illustrates some of the recent case studies on solving various problems by companies they faced in their consolidation journey.
4. Strategic Frameworks
The study equips businesses and anyone interested in the market to frame broad strategic frameworks. This has become more important than ever, given the current uncertainty due to COVID-19. The study deliberates on consultations to overcome various such past disruptions and foresees new ones to boost the preparedness. The frameworks help businesses plan their strategic alignments for recovery from such disruptive trends. Further, analysts at TMR helps you break down the complex scenario and bring resiliency in uncertain times.
The report sheds light on various aspects and answers pertinent questions on the market. Some of the important ones are:
1. What can be the best investment choices for venturing into new product and service lines?
2. What value propositions should businesses aim at while making new research and development funding?
3. Which regulations will be most helpful for stakeholders to boost their supply chain network?
4. Which regions might see the demand maturing in certain segments in near future?
5. What are the some of the best cost optimization strategies with vendors that some well-entrenched players have gained success with?
6. Which are the key perspectives that the C-suite are leveraging to move businesses to new growth trajectory?
7. Which government regulations might challenge the status of key regional markets?
8. How will the emerging political and economic scenario affect opportunities in key growth areas?
9. What are some of the value-grab opportunities in various segments?
10. What will be the barrier to entry for new players in the market?
Note: Although care has been taken to maintain the highest levels of accuracy in TMR’s reports, recent market/vendor-specific changes may take time to reflect in the analysis.
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Sony has announced that it will be offering two free games -- from an unspecified choice of five -- to PlayStation Network members as part of its apology for the infamous PSN breach. PSP users will also have two games, from a list of four.
In addition, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is looking at a way to offer some identity theft insurance for its users, following the announcement that Sony America would be doing so. According to SCEE's Nick Caplin, the process has been difficult due to countries within Europe having all sorts of different laws. The company hopes to have all PSN users in Europe protected before the PSN comes back.
The free game offering is pretty cool, but I still remember the sour taste Microsoft left when it gave Undertow away. Here's hoping that the likes of Rag Doll Kung Fu aren't on the list.
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In a sweet show of support, Roberson stopped by to see her friend perform on her On the Run II Tour stop in Houston
Beyoncé Reunites with Former Destiny’s Child Member LaTavia Roberson for First Time in 18 Years
There’s no bad blood here!
Just over a week after Beyoncé made headlines for reuniting with former original Destiny’s Child bandmate LeToya Luckett-Walker, former member LaTavia Roberson got in on the action too.
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In a sweet show of support, Roberson, 36, stopped by to see her friend perform on her On the Run II Tour stop in Houston.
“It was so wonderful sharing a laugh and spending time with my FRIEND of 30 years…..hadn’t seen Bey in 18 yrs,” the singer wrote on Thursday, alongside a photo of herself, her mother and the superstar enjoying each other’s company.
“My mother @cheryl_lastrap is clearly tickled. The children are amazing “Everything IS Love,” she continued, referencing the name of Beyoncé’s album with her husband JAY-Z.
“Hi Latavia, looking beautiful ❤️ H-Town❤️❤️,” she wrote alongside an image of Bey and Robinson giving each other a hug.
Earlier this month, LeToya Luckett-Walker — who announced in June that she’s expecting her first child — also stopped by to see her friend in action, catching a performance in Arlington.
Posting a sweet photo to Instagram on Wednesday, Luckett-Walker, 37, shared the reunion between pals and captioned the shot, “Love. ♥️”
In the photo, the musical duo can be seen smiling side-by-side with their arms around each other while Beyoncé rests her other hand on Luckett-Walker’s pregnant belly.
Image zoom LeToya Luckett-Walker and Beyoncé LeToya Luckett/Instagram
While many Destiny’s Child fans may best remember the group as a trio consisting of Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams, the original lineup featured Beyoncé, Rowland, Luckett-Walker and Roberson.
Image zoom LeToya Luckett, Beyonce, Kelly Rowland and LaTavia Roberson Redferns Contributor
Despite talk that she chose to leave Destiny’s Child in 2000, Roberson previously told PEOPLE that wasn’t the case.
RELATED VIDEO: Beyoncé Celebrates 37th Birthday by Reflecting on Her ‘Monumental’ Year in Heartfelt Letter
“I never left Destiny’s Child. That is something that people say. But who would leave Destiny’s Child? That’s crazy! I was dismissed from the group,” she explained. “It was very difficult because of the way that I found out about it. I hate even talking about it, and it’s been 20 years — but it is what it is. We saw the ‘Say My Name’ video on TV, and that’s how I found out I was no longer in the group.”
“It was very difficult. I’m pretty sure that it was difficult for all of us — because we were young,” Roberson continued, before adding that she never held anything against her fellow bandmates. “My issue was always with the management; it was never with the girls.”
“There’s nothing but love,” she remarked.
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Senate Democrats slammed the Trump administration's proposed replacement for the Clean Power Plan on Friday, saying it would harm public health while exacerbating the effects of global warming.
A group of Democrats led by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt opposing both the EPA's proposed repeal of the President Barack Obama-era climate plan and its ideas for replacing it. The letter was sent ahead of the midnight deadline to submit comments on the EPA's repeal of the climate plan.
"The power sector is well on its way to meeting the Clean Power Plan’s emission limits," the letter read. "Yet, instead of spending time and resources building on this success, EPA, under your leadership, is choosing to wage a war on climate science and proposing to repeal the Clean Power Plan."
The comments point out that carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity sector fell in 2017 by more than 27 percent from 2005 levels, according to federal data. Household electricity bills also decreased in the same period.
Repealing the Obama climate rules would create greater "uncertainty for the power industry," while placing U.S. "communities at further risk from the impacts of climate change," the Democrats continued. "Repealing the Clean Power Plan also means the EPA is walking away from its clear obligation to address climate change."
Sens. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Edward Markey, D-Mass., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.,, and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., joined Carper on the letter.
Carper and the Democrats also consider Pruitt's idea to replace the rule with a narrowly defined regulation would be a farce, not improving emissions reduction and making the air worse for public health.
"Adding insult to injury, your agency is considering replacing the Clean Power Plan with regulations that will not reduce power-sector carbon emissions," the comments read. "Worse, they will likely increase electricity costs and the emissions of traditional air pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide."
They cite recent studies by scientists at Harvard’s School of Public Health and other universities that show a narrowly focused Clean Power Plan that deals only with power plants, not state emissions and renewable energy, would drive up sulfur dioxide emissions by 3 percent "and result in premature lives lost."
"It would be a tragedy for the agency to shirk its legal obligation to act on climate change and exacerbate other environmental and health threats," the Democrats said. "That is why we request that you abandon plans to proceed."
Pruitt told House appropriators on Thursday that he "can only take the steps that Congress authorizes me to take.” He said the fault of the Obama administration was it tried to get around Congress and decide the climate strategy for the U.S. through regulation.
“I have actually introduced an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking in the marketplace to solicit comment on our authority to regulate [greenhouse gas emissions],” he said, speaking of the Clean Power Plan replacement.
Pruitt will seek to craft a rule through a narrow interpretation of section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act, which governs existing power plant emissions. The Obama EPA used the section to regulate emissions on a state-by-state basis, instead of a plant-by-plant basis. Oklahoma and other states argued in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals that the interpretation of the law was an illegal overreach. It has not been settled by the courts.
Both the repeal of the Clean Power Plan and its replacement are not expected to be finalized until at least the end of the year.
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McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook speaks during a news conference in New York November 17, 2016. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
BOSTON (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp MCD.N Chief Executive Steve Easterbrook said on Thursday that President Donald Trump's pick to head the U.S. Labor Department has a good understanding of entry-level jobs and how big changes in labor costs can affect small businesses.
Easterbrook’s remarks are a measure of support for his fellow fast-food executive, Andrew Puzder, whose nomination as Labor Secretary has met delays and opposition, particularly from the union-backed “Fight for $15” movement to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
“I’ve not met him,” said Easterbrook, who runs the world’s largest fast-food restaurant chain. “What I would say is that it’s positive that he has a good, grassroots understanding of entry-level jobs. That is something that’s important to all of us.”
Easterbrook made his remarks after giving a speech at the Boston College Chief Executives Club luncheon. McDonald’s has increased average worker pay to almost $10 per hour. But those raises are limited to just a fraction of all U.S. McDonald’s restaurant workers because franchisees operate almost 90 percent of the chain’s 14,000 domestic locations.
Puzder, who is the chief executive of CKE Restaurants, has been a vocal opponent of minimum wage increases and what he has called “overregulation” during the Obama administration.
“He will have a first-hand experience of seeing the impact on a small business of the dramatic changes in any input costs,” Easterbrook said. “That experience will be important for him to make the right decision not just for business but for people as well.”
Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate panel tasked with vetting Puzder postponed its tentative plans to hold his confirmation hearing yet again, a move that some political strategists say could signal trouble.
Last month, workers at franchised locations of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, which are part of CKE’s restaurant portfolio, filed a range of complaints, alleging wage theft and harassment, among other things.
Additionally, some of CKE’s racy advertisements featuring women in bikinis have caused Democrats to raise questions about how Puzder would address sexual harassment in the workplace.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Run the Jewels hit the main stage late in the day with a sinsemilla-scented party set, as MCs Killer Mike and El-P blended progressive messages and friendly rapport with a dose of ironic hip-hop humor. Brian Mccollum, Detroit Free Press, "Mo Pop Festival 2017: Opening day teems with musical treats in Detroit," 30 July 2017
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sinsemilla.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Le maire de L’Ancienne-Lorette veut faire annuler son procès et retirer sa reconnaissance de culpabilité devant la Commission municipale du Québec (CMQ). Émile Loranger invoque l'argument de la diffusion « injustifiée » dans les médias de son interrogatoire qui a précédé son procès.
Cet interrogatoire a mené au dépôt d’une quinzaine de manquements au Code d’éthique et de déontologie des élus.
La requête d'Émile Loranger a été signifiée la semaine dernière à la Commission municipale du Québec.
Selon le document, dont Radio-Canada a obtenu copie, le maire Loranger estime que son interrogatoire n’aurait jamais dû se retrouver entre les mains des journalistes.
L'interrogatoire, qui fait plus de 130 pages, a été rendu public par la Commission grâce à la loi d’accès à l’information. La CMQ a reçu quatre demandes en juillet, dont une de Radio-Canada.
Il s’agit du verbatim de la rencontre qui a eu lieu en février dernier entre Émile Loranger et l’enquêteuse de la CMQ. L’interrogatoire a duré environ deux heures.
La Commission était chargée de faire la lumière sur un vote « douteux » au conseil municipal de L’Ancienne-Lorette survenu en décembre.
Le maire Loranger était intervenu pour empêcher une enquête sur son comportement à la suite d’une plainte de harcèlement psychologique, déposée contre lui quelques mois plus tôt par son ex-chef de cabinet.
Des documents jugés confidentiels
Émile Loranger n’y va pas de main morte lors de son interrogatoire. Dans un langage parfois cru, il s’en prend au greffier de la Ville de l’avoir mal conseillé lors du vote et à son directeur de l’urbanisme de ne pas être suffisamment efficace. Il reproche aussi au conseiller indépendant, Gaétan Pageau, de mener une bataille contre lui.
Selon la requête, le procureur du maire estime que ces propos auraient dû demeurer confidentiels.
La publication contreviendrait même aux règles de la CMQ, puisque selon le Guide sur la divulgation des enquêtes, ces propos deviendront publics seulement s’ils sont déposés en preuve lors de l’audience.
Or, le maire de L’Ancienne-Lorette a plaidé coupable, ce qui empêche le dépôt.
Cela cause des préjudices irréparables à M. Loranger, lit-on dans la requête, et la conduite de la CMQ compromet l’équité du procès .
Le procureur de M. Loranger estime également que ce geste remet en question la neutralité de la Commission.
Reconnaissance de culpabilité
Le 8 juillet, le maire de L’Ancienne-Lorette a plaidé coupable à 3 manquements du Code d’éthique et de déontologie des élus, qui avaient été regroupés sous trois chefs d’accusation. En contrepartie, la CMQ abandonnait les autres manquements.
Les parties avaient convenu d’une sanction de 60 jours de suspension sans solde. Le maire devait également s’engager à lire une lettre d’excuses aux citoyens lors d’une séance du conseil municipal subséquente. Le juge avait pris cette proposition commune en délibéré.
Dans ces circonstances, le maire Loranger ne veut plus plaider coupable, puisqu'il indique que le lien de confiance est rompu.
La requête en arrêt des procédures sera débattue le 10 septembre prochain devant le juge de la CMQ, Thierry Usclat. Le maire Loranger y sera entendu.
Entre-temps, aucune décision sur la sanction à imposer au maire ne sera rendue.
Joint par téléphone, le maire Loranger n’a pas voulu commenter cette nouvelle démarche.
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moosh WhenNailGrenWillOut? Beta Tester
Join Date: May 2009 Gametype: mp_prematch Affiliations: [:)] - Frag Happy, babe| Posts Rated Helpful 29 Times
Quote: Elmo Originally Posted by Now I'm back off holiday I looked at this last night and decided the template is turd.
I made progress but I've not stuck the template in yet cause it's turd. Ricey is turd - TURD!
Once I have something basic in place I'll share. Anyone else doing this? I am, if that gives you any more motivation Elmo.
[[
"As the the new year approaches I await for it like an case of explosive fecalomania otherwise know as diareha or the massive shits. I am gripping the sides of the toilet as my stomach produces the first hollow thud out of the anus of the year to come." DarkeN_HellspawN __________________[[ ff_hotfudge bhop_theonlyone ]]"As the the new year approaches I await for it like an case of explosive fecalomania otherwise know as diareha or the massive shits. I am gripping the sides of the toilet as my stomach produces the first hollow thud out of the anus of the year to come." DarkeN_HellspawN Last edited by moosh; 09-03-2012 at 09:03 PM .
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Ali Velshi reports on a bipartisan piece of legislation to improve the security of U.S. elections that was suddenly dropped by Republicans on orders from the White House, according to Yahoo News.
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Create bolder sounds with Live’s new devices. Stay in the flow with a multitude of workflow improvements. Do even more away from the computer with Push. Build your sound with a curated library. And get the unlimited potential of Max for Live, seamlessly built in.
Try Live 10 free for 90 days
The Live 10 Suite trial includes all the features of the full version, including saving and exporting. You can use it alongside your current version of Live.
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This article is more than 1 year old
This article is more than 1 year old
America was reeling on Saturday after 12 people were shot dead at a government building in Virginia Beach late on Friday afternoon. It was the deadliest mass shooting this year and prompted fresh demands for gun control reform.
Virginia Beach shooting: 12 dead as city mourns 'the most devastating day' Read more
The 12 who died were named. Describing a “horrific crime scene”, police and city leaders said they would name the gunman only once, preferring to focus on those he killed. Four people remained in hospital, seriously injured.
Virginia Beach’s city manager, Dave Hansen, struggled to suppress sorrow and anger as he described “a senseless, incomprehensible act of violence”. As he listed the dead, his co-workers, he referred to them in the present tense.
Eleven were city employees who worked in Municipal Building Two. One was a contractor trying to get a permit. All but three lived in Virginia Beach.
Details began to emerge, in tributes from friends and family. Christopher Rapp was a member of a local bagpipe group. In a Facebook post, bandmates said he was quiet but passionate. He had only been working for the city for 11 months. Robert “Bobby” Williams, a special projects coordinator, had worked for the city for 41 years.
Laquita C Brown was remembered as someone who lit up any room. “It still doesn’t feel real,” Sinda Price wrote of the public works employee of nearly five years. “I can’t believe she’s gone.”
Ryan Keith Cox’s brother, Ervin Ray Cox Jr, wrote: “My heart is hurting because my baby brother was murdered today. I won’t hear his beautiful singing voice at church or home anymore. I loved my brother and will truly miss his caring soul. Until we meet again in heaven.”
The other victims were Tara Walsh Gallagher, Mary Louis Gayle, Alexander Mikhail Gusev, Katherine A Nixon, Richard H Nettleton, Joshua O Hardy, Michelle “Missy” Langer, and Herbert “Bert” Snelling.
They left, Hansen said, “a void we will never be able to fill”.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Top row from left: Laquita C Brown, Ryan Keith Cox, Tara Welch Gallagher and Mary Louise Gayle. Middle row from left: Alexander Mikhail Gusev, Joshua A Hardy, Michelle ‘Missy’ Langer and Richard H Nettleton. Bottom row from left: Katherine A Nixon, Christopher Kelly Rapp, Herbert “Bert” Snelling and Robert “Bobby” Williams. Photograph: AP
The injured were not named. Martin O’Grady, head of trauma at Sentara Virginia Beach hospital, told reporters one person had returned to intensive care and two needed operations “to get injuries repaired”. One person did not require urgent care, he said, “but if the injury were a little further over he probably wouldn’t be here today”.
One policeman was hurt, saved by a bulletproof vest. The police chief, James Cervera, said officers responded “within minutes” of the first call from Municipal Building Two. There was no verbal exchange with the gunman.
“Once he identified them he immediately opened fire,” Cervera said. “They returned fire. This was a long-term, large gunfight.” The gunman was killed by police.
The shooting stunned this resort city of 448,000 residents and 3 million annual tourists, and renewed national debate about gun violence. Joe Biden, the former vice-president running for the Democratic nomination, said he and his wife, Jill, were “heartbroken”.
“When will we finally say enough is enough?” he tweeted. “It’s long past time to hold our leaders accountable.”
Cervera named the gunman as DeWayne Craddock, 40, a 15-year employee of the public works department. According to the Associated Press, Craddock spent time in the national guard and received military training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He graduated from Old Dominion University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
Police confirmed on Saturday that he was a current employee and had not been recently terminated, as had been reported by some news outlets. The gunman gained access to the building with an active security pass.
Authorities said the gunman used a .45 caliber handgun with a suppressor and “extended” magazines. On Saturday, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent Ashan Benedict told reporters the gunman carried two pistols which were purchased legally in 2016 and 2018. An unidentified firearm recovered from the gunman’s home was also purchased legally.
Megan Banton, an administrative assistant, said she heard gunshots, called 911 and barricaded herself and about 20 colleagues inside an office, pushing a desk against a door. She texted her mother to say there was a gunman in the building.
“We tried to do everything we could to keep everybody safe,” Banton told the AP. “We were all just terrified. It felt like it wasn’t real, like we were in a dream. You are just terrified because all you can hear is the gunshots.”
Virginia Beach is the biggest city in its eponymous state. Mayor Bobby Dyer called Friday “the most devastating day” in the history of his city.
Play Video 1:33 Mass shooting in Virginia Beach leaves at least 12 people dead – video report
It was the deadliest instance of US gun violence since November 2018, when a dozen people were killed at a bar and grill in Thousand Oaks, California. Other recent death tolls include 49 people at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in June 2016; 58 people at a concert in Las Vegas in October 2017; 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, in February 2018; and 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh in October.
On Saturday, Donald Trump tweeted that he had spoken to Virginia’s governor, Ralph Northam, and city leaders “to offer condolences to that great community. The federal government is there, and will be, for whatever they may need. God bless the families and all!”
The president is a close ally of the National Rifle Association, which is headquartered in Virginia. Democrats competing to take on Trump were quick to demand reform. Senator Bernie Sanders, for example, wrote on Twitter: “The days of the NRA controlling Congress and writing our gun laws must end. Congress must listen to the American people and pass gun safety legislation.”
In a statement, the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, pointed to a bill passed in February when she said the House had “passed commonsense, bipartisan gun violence prevention legislation”. But the prospect of an end to business as usual still appears remote.
“The Senate must bring these bills to a vote,” Pelosi said. As the upper chamber is controlled by Republicans, that remains unlikely.
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Thanks Games Workshop – next time release them at the same time, okay?
Let’s jump in… I’ll update post as I read.
It would also be good if they actually, IDK – put the new stuff in magenta.
Astra Militarium – Daemonology can be used; primary detachment = army; Tempestor Prime’s initiative is now 4
Blood Angels – easier to read Hull Point/unit types (I won’t repeat this); no tanks bar the Baal are fast; Daemonology can be used – BA psychic powers have been removed
Chaos Daemons – can use Daemonology including those with Brotherhood (Horrors); Exalted Flamer added
Chaos Space Marines – can use Daemonology; Ahirman can shoot the same witchfire three times in the psychic phase; Heldrakes are now hull mounted – this is a very, very, vary large change
Dark Angels – can use Daemonology; cannot re-roll for Perils; Precision added for Belial; no more Stealth for Darkshroud; there is NOTHING restricting the Power Field Generator anymore
Dark Eldar – Incubi still strike at Initiative with AP2; Veil of Tears is a blessing still
Eldar – Daemonology; Runes of Warding – one use only +2 to DTW rolls (before they are made); no changes to Ghosthelm
Grey Knights – Aegis = re-roll 1’s on DTW rolls; all psychic powers replaced with rulebook powers; set powers replaced with hammerhand and combination Santic powers from Daemonology including vehicles; Reinforced Aegis = re-roll failed DTW for that unit only; Warp Stabilisation Field removed; Psyk-out and Rad grenades only work for the model equipped with them; unholy gaze is now AP4; Leadership for instant death purposes for Callidus
Imperial Knights – blablabla use the rulebook
Militarium Temptus – no gets hot for the hot shot volley gun; can now have camo netting
Necrons – three sweeps for CCB; Deathmarks only mark a single unit; Snap shots if moving out of a 24″-36″ moving Night Scythe; FAQ regarding Shrouded from Night Fighting – oh right, that doesn’t exist anymore!; Tesla arc works if you destroy the unit; AP1 for Warscythes!
Orks – KFF still works on everything; Daemonology only for Warpheads; lots of units lost Waaagh!
Space Marines – Daemonology; Space Marines over-ride rulebook and can ally with themselves if a different Chapter; Sternguards get objective secured with Pedro
Space Wolves – Daemonology and normal Space Wolves powers removed; Runic weapons add +1 to DTW rolls (so no more everyone allies with Space wolves); Njal gets +2
Tau Empire – can buy Precision shots; DPods are not stealth
Farsight – Moloch = 12″ friendly radius of +2 to DTW rolls (that’s a solid stopper thank you!)
Tyranids – allows Dominion to work on anything without the Synapse rule; nothing at all on Shadow in the Warp…
So a lot of things which weren’t addressed – how unusual. A lot of things which were taken out of the FAQs – are we expected to remember all of these are do they mean they have been changed (i.e. Tau taking two of the same weapon for Battlesuits, PFG inside Transports, etc.).
Poor job unfortunately.
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Check out our new site Makeup Addiction
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Isn't gay The Church still won't accept him
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Sadhus are dreadlocked holy men who have left behind all material attachments and live in caves, forests and temples all over India and Nepal. Here’s an intriguing look into the life of a Sadhu!
Sadhus in Kathmandu, Nepal: An Intriguing Look Inside Their Lives
I met this Sadhu at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. You may notice burn scars on the inside of his right arm. In Nepalese, he shared the story of how he had been badly burned when he was a child and how a local holy man took him in and began teaching him the ways of the Sadhus.
Many Sadhus beg in the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, but only for enough money for the bare necessities, such as food and clothing. Some say they are glorified beggars.
Sadhus are especially common at this temple in Nepal, which is rated as one of the most important Shaiva pilgrimage sites. These holy men live solitary lives and use intoxicants as a path to spiritual insight.
Becoming a Sadhu is a difficult lifestyle. I found it interesting to learn that Sadhus are considered dead to themselves. They may even be required to attend their own funeral before they are able to seek out a guru and begin the process of transforming into a holy man.
The vast majority of Sadhus in India and Nepal are Yogis. I’m guessing this Sadhu has done a bit of yoga in his lifetime.
Photo Tip: When taking close-up portraits where you want the subject to stand out, it is a good idea to set your camera at a large aperture. This will blur the background, while keeping the subject in focus.
Check out our Photography page to purchase postcards and prints of our photos!
If you are curious to learn more about Nepal, you can view some of our other Nepal posts:
First Impressions of Nepal
I See the Light in You
Photo of the Week: Burning Himalaya Mountains
What I Loved Most About Visiting Dhading, Nepal
The Ultimate Nepal Travel Guide + Packing Tips
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Off-duty police officers Chase and Nicole McKeown were eating dinner when they noticed an armed man enter the restaurant they were in.
The married couple tell BBC News how they sprang into action and stopped the man attempting a robbery at Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers at the Mid City Mall in Louisville, Kentucky.
The would-be thief was later arrested.
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SAYING it was “fed up” and “close to tears,” the roof at Etihad Stadium has demanded Brad Scott’s mouth stay permanently closed.
“I didn’t invent the sun,” said the controversial piece of stadium attire.
“Last time I checked, it was the collapse of a giant molecular cloud that caused it.
“Yet suddenly it’s all my fault that North Melbourne couldn’t run out a game or hit a target under pressure.”
In an escalating feud, arguably North Melbourne’s biggest rivalry, the roof said it would be easier if Brad Scott’s mouth were closed on a permanent basis.
“What’s he ever said that’s positive? I’ve only ever seen Mark Neeld frown more than him,” it said.
However, North Melbourne president James Brayshaw has defended his coach, saying Brad did actually smile, when Drew Petrie tripped over a chair.
“It was hilarious. He’s a big man the D-Unit and the jukes went out but he still came a cropper.”
“But seriously, there’s no doubt the roof is the cause of every problem North have had recently.
That’s just a fact, it’s science.”
media_camera North Melbourne coach Brad Scott talks to AFL representatives after Saturday’s match against Richmond. Pic: Michael Klein
The AFL’s Football Operations Manager Mark Evans said the league was attempting to negotiate a truce between the two sides.
“We planned to trial both the roof and Brad Scott’s mouth being three-quarters closed for the first three rounds.”
“We may then move on to other fractions, half-closed, four-fifths closed, seven-eights closed. You get the picture.”
Titus O’Reily is a satirical sports writer. You can read more Titus at titusoreily.com or follow him on Twitter: @TitusOReily
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Melissa Harris-Perry: I hope Trayvon 'whooped the sh*t out of George Zimmerman'
MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry gave a speech at Cornell University earlier this week during which she said she hoped Trayvon Martin “whooped the sh*t out of George Zimmerman” before his death.
Martin, an unarmed 17-year-old, was shot and killed by Zimmerman in early 2012. Zimmerman went to trial, saying he acted in self defense, and a Florida jury acquitted him of all charges.
Harris-Perry made the comments Feb. 23 at the university’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Lecture. Mediate reports her comments were entitled “We Can’t Breathe: The Continuing Consequences of Inequality.”
A portion of Harris-Perry’s remarks were uploaded to YouTube shortly afterward by The Cornell Review.
The conservative student newspaper called the host’s comments a “shame and an embarrassment” to the school.
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President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE on Tuesday sought to distance himself from his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort Paul John ManafortOur Constitution is under attack by Attorney General William Barr Bannon trial date set in alleged border wall scam Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE's criminal conviction, saying it did not involve his presidential bid.
“This has nothing to do with Russian collusion," Trump told reporters in West Virginia, where is he scheduled to hold a campaign rally. "It's a witch hunt and a disgrace."
"Nothing to do with Russian collusion, continue with the witch hunt." Trump briefly talks Manafort; mum on Cohen. pic.twitter.com/8x8YswReFQ — Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 21, 2018
The president said he feels "very badly" about Manafort's conviction and called him a "good person." But he also stressed that the crimes Manafort was found guilty of committing were not related to his work on the Trump campaign.
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"Doesn’t involve me but I still feel, you know, it’s a very sad thing that happened," Trump said."This has nothing to do what they started out looking for Russians involved in our campaign. There were none."
Trump broke his silence roughly an hour after Manafort was convicted in a federal court on eight counts of bank and tax fraud brought by special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE, who is investigating alleged ties between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin's interference in the 2016 campaign.
While the crimes did not directly involve Trump – they stemmed from Manafort's work for the pro-Russian former leader of Ukraine – the verdict provided a major boost for Mueller's probe. Manafort was the first person indicted by the special counsel to face trial.
It also raised questions about Trump's judgment, given that he hired Manafort after the alleged crimes were committed. Manafort, a longtime GOP operative who in recent years turned to foreign lobbying, led Trump's presidential campaign during a crucial three-month stretch that included the Republican National Convention.
Trump did not comment on the guilty plea of his former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, who confessed to committing bank and tax fraud as well as campaign finance violations.
During a court appearance, Cohen said he made hush money payments to the porn star Stormy Daniels and a former Playboy playmate at the behest of a federal political candidate who is believed to be Trump in order to influence the 2016 election.
The White House directed questions about Cohen's plea to Trump's outside attorneys.
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In an interview with Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd, former Secretary of State reveals she learned about the Bill Clinton-Loretta Lynch "secret meeting" through the news:
"Well, I learned about it in the news," Clinton told Todd in an interview broadcasted on Sunday's Meet the Press. "And it was a short, chance meeting at an airport tarmac. Both of their planes, as I understand it, were landing on the same tarmac at about the same time, and the attorney general's husband was there, they said hello, they talked about grandkids, which is very much on our minds these days, golf, their mutual friend, former Attorney General Janet Reno, it was purely social."
"They did not veer off of speaking about those kinds of very common exchanges," Clinton assured.
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The country's environmental watchdog has criticised the government's landmark environmental report released last year, saying it gives no diagnosis on the health of the environment.
Photo: ©Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright has released her commentary on Environment Aotearoa 2015, the government's first state of the environment report in eight years, which was a collaboration between the Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand.
- Read the original report here (PDF 8.66MB)
Dr Wright's commentary said the point of reporting on the environment was to improve the way it is managed and to protect it, but that the government's report did not achieve that.
"It does not give perspective on the seriousness of different environmental issues. A state of the environment report cannot do this without including forward thinking."
Dr Wright said the need for forward thinking was crucial to facing climate change, the most serious environmental issue of all.
Her commentary noted relevant information must be presented in these reports, otherwise they could be misinterpreted - for instance, the original report showed New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions were relatively low globally.
"This could be taken to indicate that it is pointless to try to reduce them," Dr Wright's report said.
Dr Wright said a figure showing the country's emissions per capita would convey an entirely different impression.
Another issue raised was the scientific explanation within the report. Dr Wright said a state of the environment report should be "built on a bedrock of scientific understanding that is based on a weight of evidence and communicated clearly."
She said the report's explanation of climate change was particularly problematic, and that it should clearly have stated that sea level rise was due to the expansion of warming waters, and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, rather than stating that it was "probably due" to these.
The report made six recommendations including that the Secretary for the Environment Vicky Robertson prepare a report for Minister for the Environment Nick Smith outlining actions to be taken in response to Environment Aotearoa 2015 and Dr Wright's commentary, and make this publicly available.
Environmental challenges
Atmosphere - At the moment there is no basis for thinking the problem is reversible and according to Dr Wright, "there is no question that climate change is by far the most serious environmental issue we face. Moreover, it will have big impacts on virtually every other aspect of our environment".
Marine- The marine environment is already being affected by climate change and most troubling, according to Dr Wright, is ocean acidification which she said was irreversible. She cautioned that it would lead to marine foodwebs being undermined and that in warmer seas there was less oxygen which would mean many species would not thrive.
Human activities were also putting stress on the marine environment, including run-off from land which damages marine habitats around the coast and Dr Wright said there was also much that was not known about the effect of fishing on the sustainability of ecosystems.
Dr Wright said New Zealand needed to do more to protect ocean reserves.
Land- erosion and pests are the two big issues for land.
Dr Wright said a legacy of erosion exists after a century of clearing bush on unstable hill country, resulting in an enormous amount of topsoil being washed into waterways, a pattern which continues today.
Climate change is projected to bring more intense and frequent heavy downpours which will exacerbate the problem. "An eroded area will tip into another state when plants cannot re-establish because so much fertility has been lost," Dr Wright's report said.
Native flora and fauna were especially vulnerable to pests and extinction is irreversible. Dr Wright said possums, rats and stoats were particularly destructive and pervade almost all of the country's forests.
Dr Wright said while she was heartened by this year's biggest-ever pest control operation, the Battle for Our Birds operation, "more is needed to win the war against predators".
Fresh water - Dr Wright said national averages of water quality were meaningless and that in pockets of the country water quality had declined markedly in many places.
Sediment and nutrient pollution degrade water quality and lakes are particularly vulnerable because they are more contained.
Dr Wright said conversion of sheep country and forests to dairy land had greatly increased nitrogen in fresh water, which was being compounded by changes in farming practices such as spraying and fencing. This was creating a 'load to come' - the nitrate in groundwater which was slowly making its way to bodies of water such as Lake Taupo.
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Researchers at Johns Hopkins University believe robots could learn a thing or two from nature's most adaptable pest — the cockroach. The insect can navigate almost any terrain, thanks to over 300 million years of evolution. Scientists filmed the cockroaches running obstacle courses and captured their movements using high-speed cameras. The footage was then analyzed and adapted for a six-legged robot to repeat the movements. Researchers hope this work can eventually be used in search and rescue missions during natural disasters.
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The Aviary Brewpub Opening This Month in Toronto’s Canary District
TORONTO, ON – Now Magazine reports that Longslice Brewery and sports bar/gastropub The Dock Ellis are getting set to open a new brewpub in the Canary District, an up-and-coming neighbourhood near the Distillery District in east Toronto.
As originally reported here on CBN in February, The Aviary will be a 230-seat bar and restaurant offering a “fun, community-friendly vibe, with a focus on craft beer, amazing food, and sports.”
Planned to soft open later this month in advance of its grand opening on August 9th, The Aviary will feature 10 craft beers on tap including the two flagship brews from Longslice, Hopsta La Vista IPA and Loose Lips Lager. These will be joined by new and exclusive Longslice creations such as Aloha Friday (hibiscus pale ale), Slam Dunkel (dark wheat beer), Klondike Clarke (golden ale), and Puns N’Goses (light summer sour), with the latter being available exclusively to users of the Craft Beer Passport.
Also featured will be a food menu featuring favourite items from The Dock Ellis, arcade games, shuffleboard, and a large patio. An on-site brewery producing Longslice beers will open in 2019.
For more details, see The Aviary Facebook page.
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While the 8K camera race heats up, Cinemartin’s Fran 8K drops out.
Coming from reports from Red Shark News, the long-anticipated Fran 8K Cinema Camera appears to be no more (read our original write-up on the project here). What we do know is that this is in no small part because its manufacturer company Cinemartin has reportedly gone out of business.
Hopefully this will be a lesson for the rest of the industry as the ambitious Fran Cinema Camera was truly a monstrous (if not completely foolhardy) beast of a rumored offering which may have been too good to be possible.
Let’s take a look at the 8K camera that almost was to see where it went wrong, and how both future manufacturers and consumers can learn from this camera’s passing.
The Dangers of Shooting 8K
While prototypes were released for hands-on reviews just a few months ago, the Fran appeared to certainly be a good deal away from completed. Advertised as a competitive cinema camera option, the goal was originally going to be an “8K for $8k” offering, however those prices still seem pretty ridiculous.
(Almost as ridiculous as their preview video which Philip Bloom teased above. You can watch it in all of its glory below.)
From the company’s website, the Frank 8K promised the following specs:
8K (7920 x 6024 pixels)
47.7 MP G.S.
4:4:4 Raw
Dual ISO
15.5 Stops of Dynamic Range
Internal Downsampling
VistaVision
RAW + LUT support
Avid Prores Realtime Post
Assist Tools
Along with other offerings including “pleasant skin tones” and HDMI, USB & Thunderbolt ports and SD card slots which weren’t all included in the prototypes.
But 8K IS on its Way
Yet, while news of the Fran 8Ks passing, it’s probably best to assume that this will do little to deter the competition from continuing to chase 8K.
Sony has teased an 8K sensor for its next generation of cameras, while Canon has been as bold to promise an 8K EOS R already “on the roadmap”.
What this news can teach us though, as consumers and professional users in the industry, is that these first generations of prosumer 8K cameras are indeed difficult to pull off. Chasing 8K resolution absolutely pushes camera design theoretical limits and could mean that some of these early 8K options might struggle in first-gen models with over-vexed 8K recording (and other areas which may have fallen to the wayside).
So, unless you're absolutely sure 8K is for you, it might be best to wait for the first wave of 8K to come and go before you settle on the best option to invest in. Otherwise you might end up looking like Fran 8K himself.
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With the world’s attention fixed on the horribly violent persecution of Burma's Rohingya Muslims, Christians are also suffering from a less visible but also brutal mistreatment and ethnic cleansing campaign at the hands of the Burmese Army, according to aid agencies, human rights groups and U.S. officials.
The campaign against the Christians, which according to estimates has displaced at least 100,000 people, has also left thousands stranded in the Burmese jungle terrain, either from fleeing heavy bombing, or living in fear of what will come when the current monsoon season ends.
“Christianity is under direct attack by the Burma Army. Christians have repeatedly been singled out for rape, torture, and death over the course of this war, and that trend is continuing,” Ephraim Mattos, East Asia Operations Manager for The Nazarene Fund (TNF), a humanitarian group that works to support the plight of Christians worldwide, told Fox News. “In Burma, if you don’t fall into the category of being Buddhist and ethnic Burmese, then you are considered second-class, and not worthy of the full rights of a citizen.”
Christians in Burma, also known as Myanmar, make up an estimated 8.2 percent of the Buddhist-dominant population - or around four million people. Many of those Christians live in the often undeveloped, neglected periphery states.
Christian groups backed the British against Japanese occupiers during World War II, and were once promised a homeland of their own. But they have instead encountered nearly seven decades of protracted war with the iron-fist Burmese military – suffering significant persecution ranging from rape, murder and forced conversions to labor conscription. They are also being forced to use their own bodies to enter landmine-peppered areas in “clearance” for Burmese troops, according to reports.
The Christians can only wait for what is likely to be an expanding campaign of ethnic and religious purging. The Burmese military operations are carried out like clockwork along the border provinces – moving from the western Rakhine state against the Rohingya up to the Christians and ethnic minority groups in the neighboring fringe state of Chin, around to the northern state of Kachin, down to the southeastern region of Shan, and then further south to the Karen – also called Kayin.
“Today, religious and ethnic persecution continues to take place, both against the Rohingya, but also against Christian religious minorities,” affirmed Olivia Enos, policy analyst for the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation. “Christian Karen, Kachin and in Shan state have largely fallen off of the international community’s radar – but their plight is similarly severe. Kachin, for example, are being virtually collectivized – churches burned, land seized, women raped, and children killed before their very eyes. Not unlike what Rohingya experienced.”
In Kachin state, some 60 churches are reported to have been bulldozed by the Burmese Army in the last five months alone, replaced by Buddhist temples. The Kachin people, who have also endured a decades-long struggle for equal rights and self-determination, have faced an alarming uptick in violence since the start of this year.
Almost 7,000 villages of the Christian stronghold have been upended and just last week, a Burmese army-backed militia allegedly battered two youth pastors with rifle butts after they requested they stop decimating homes.
Then there are the ethnic Karens, whose leadership is mostly Christian, as are large swaths of the group's population.
Mattos said the recent increase in anti-Christian activity prompted the need for TNF to go beyond their fundamental rescue and relief efforts, and prepare the Karen people for “inevitable attacks that are coming.”
“We are creating an early warning communication network in the villages closest to the Burma Army outposts. This allows entire villages to evacuate before the Burma Army arrives, and to coordinate with other entire villages under attack to ensure fleeing civilians are not running in the wrong direction and into a trap,” Mattos explained. “The communications network also allows relief personnel the ability to respond in a timely manner to provide the villages with food, shelter, and safety.”
In early May, the Burmese Army marched in – under the auspices of re-building a strategic road that runs through the heart of Karen land – and heavy fighting subsequently broke out between the military and Karen fighters.
“Even though the Burma Army eventually pulled back their troops in preparation for the June rains, they told the Karen leaders that they will come back,” Mattos said. “It is not a matter of ‘if’ the Burma Army will attack the Karen, but rather ‘when.’ And many predict it will be this fall, when the rainy season ends.”
BURMA'S KAREN REFUGEES FACE DWINDLING AID, STRUGGLE WITH DEPRESSION AND SUICIDES
ARCHAEOLOGISTS FEAR BIBLICAL ARTIFACTS, MONUMENTS WON'T SURVIVE YEMEN WAR
Christians are also tormented in more subtle ways. Saw Kwe Htoo Win, Vice Chairman of the Karen National Union (KNU), noted that even though they are constitutionally now allowed to teach their language and faith in the classroom, the central government brings in educators who are Buddhist, and speak only Burmese, meaning they have to scramble funds to try and keep their religion and ethnic tongue and tradition alive through church classes.
Moreover, District Chairman of the Hpa-an region of Karen state, Padho Aung Maw Aye, told Fox News he knows of cases where Christians in the community had applied to the central government for identification cards, only for the cards to be returned with “Buddhist” listed. After issuing complaints, the recipients were then dismissed and told “you can change it later.”
Nonetheless, Ta Doe Moo, Secretary-General of the KNU, said Christianity is steadily growing in Burma, despite what appears to be an apparent prohibition on private Christian services.
“Around the Yangon city area, we are receiving information that the government is not allowing Christians to hold services in their homes. They can go to church, but leaders have been issued orders not to have religious gatherings at home,” he said.
But bringing to life new churches, Moo said, is a problem because the government denied their requests to build or rebuild. He also said the discussion of faith has become more illuminated inside Burma, too, in recent years.
“It used to be when I was young that whether you were Muslim, Christian or Buddhist, it was never talked about and it didn’t matter,” Moo continued. “Now, that is very different.”
A U.S. State Department religious freedom report, released in late May, said the Burmese government is “doubling down” its campaign against ethnic minorities, and waging a new campaign of brutality against the Christian minority that has left more than 100,000 civilians displaced and trapped amid the hostilities. Late last year, the U.S again designated Burma a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for violating religious freedom.
“The United States calls on all parties in Burma’s internal conflicts, including the military, to end violence and respect and protect the human rights of Burma’s diverse population,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Fox News. “We urge the Government of Burma to protect the religious freedom of all people in Burma.”
The U.S Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal government commission, issued a more blunt assessment.
“Discrimination and violence against Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities in Burma has been ongoing in the country’s decades-long civil war between the military and several ethnic groups,” said the Vice Chair and Commissioner Gayle Manchin. “After witnessing the large-scale extermination of Rohingya Muslims, other religious and ethnic communities are right to be concerned that Burma’s military may do the same to them, especially since it operates with zero accountability and near total impunity.”
The Myanmar Embassy in Washington and the UN delegation in New York did not respond to multiple requests for an interview and comment on this story. But the government has officially and routinely insisted ceasefire agreements with ethnic minorities are holding, and has denied charges of religious or ethnic persecution.
Burmese officials have claimed they merely responded to Rohingya insurgent attacks on security forces last August, despite claims from State Department investigators that the clampdown was planned months in advance.
In contrast, Christians inside Burma worry that – with little attention from the international community in the dark shadow of the Rohingya tragedy – military rule will operate against them with impunity.
“Very few people are interested in our issue, we are struggling for the support of the people and it is becoming harder and harder to be a minority,” Moo added. “Without support, we cannot sustain in Burma. To the government and military, it is one language, one literacy, one religion.”
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The term “spontaneous combustion” may seem like an idea from a fantasy movie or tabloid newspaper, but in fact, spontaneous combustion is a serious source of fires in home and garage workshops, as well as on farms. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, spontaneous fires are one of the leading causes of fires in agricultural storage facilities (i.e., barns, silos, stables, etc.).
How Spontaneous Combustion Occurs
The name is a little misleading, though. Spontaneous combustion doesn’t occur without cause. All fires, including those ignited “spontaneously,” require three elements: fuel, oxygen and a source of heat. Normally, we think of a source of heat as something with an open flame, but, in spontaneous combustion, there is no flame causing the heat.
Spontaneous Combustion and Rags
Spontaneous combustion becomes a possibility when flammable finishes like linseed or tung oil combine with air and oxygen in a natural chemical reaction that creates heat. In farm situations, the chemical reaction involves organic materials like hay, straw or grains beginning to ferment or break down—a process that creates natural heat. If you have ever noticed the heat generated in a gardener's compost pile, the same principle applies to hay or straw stored in a barn.
In open-air environments, the heat generated from these natural chemical reactions is usually not a problem, and may not even be noticed, since the heat is easily dissipated and never builds up to a temperature that can ignite the materials. But when the oxidizing chemical reaction is confined in a way that prevents the heat from dissipating—such as when oily rags are bunched up in a closed area—it is possible for the heat to climb to a level that will ignite the substances. If other combustible materials are nearby, this little act of magic can quickly develop into a full raging fire. The reason why there are so many instances of farm fires caused by spontaneous combustion is that substances like hay and straw have a relatively low ignition point, to begin with.
Preventing Spontaneous Combustion
Preventing spontaneous combustion from occurring is as simple as practicing a little routine housekeeping. Anytime you have an oily rag left over after some wood-finishing or another project, hang it up to dry, preferably outdoors. You can use a clothesline or a fence, but just be sure to isolate each rag individually. Don’t pile them on top of each other. And if you need to hang them indoors, keep them away from heat sources, such as water heaters or furnaces.
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California taxpayers, who already pay for prison chaplains covering such faiths as Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Protestant and American Indian religions, might have to add witches to the list.
A lawsuit working its way through the federal court system would require state prisons to hire Wiccan chaplains. Two female convicts who practice Wicca sued the state for refusing to hire a paid full-time Wiccan chaplain and “by failing to apply neutral criteria in determining whether paid chaplaincy positions are necessary to meet the religious exercise needs of inmates adhering to religions outside the five faiths (Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Native American and Protestant),” according to an appellate court’s decision.
A federal court in Fresno, Calif., dismissed the lawsuit in 2011 after finding no violations in the women’s rights, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals brought it back to life this week by overturning the trial court’s decision. The San Francisco-based appellate court ordered the original judge to reconsider the case and determine whether state prisons unconstitutionally cater to majority religions, Judicial Watch reports.
The appellate court wrote that if the allegations are true, “the prison administration failed to employ any neutral criteria in evaluating whether a growing membership in minority religions warranted a reallocation of resources used in accommodating inmates’ religious exercise needs.”
While “the First Amendment does not require prison administration to provide inmates with the chaplain of their choice,” the state does require it to employ neutral criteria in deciding where funds are allocated, the decision reads.
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An Edmonton judge found notorious homicide suspect Travis Vader not guilty Wednesday of threatening to kill a guard at the former downtown remand centre.
Provincial Court Judge Ferne LeReverend acquitted Vader of the charge of uttering a death threat after ruling the Crown had not proven it beyond a reasonable doubt.
LeReverend said she could not say "the threat did not take place," but took issue with the evidence of the jail guard involved, saying she had "concerns" over his testimony, the report he filed about the incident and information he gave to an investigating police officer.
During the Aug. 20 trial, the Edmonton Remand Centre (ERC) correctional officer testified Vader, 42, said to him on July 22, 2012, that "when I get out of here, I am going to find you and I am going to f...ing kill you."
He also told court the heated incident, which happened at the old downtown remand centre, stemmed from Vader wanting to be allowed to go to the visiting area so he could review legal disclosure on a laptop computer.
The guard said Vader was yelling at him, but made the threat in a "quiet" voice. He added that he is now "more concerned" about the alleged threat since the murder charges Vader had been facing regarding the disappearance and presumed slaying of seniors Lyle and Marie McCann have been stayed.
Taking the witness stand in his own defence, Vader testified that he never made the alleged threat.
The Edson-area man, who remains in custody at the ERC and was shackled during his testimony, told court that guards were mad at him for filing a lawsuit alleging he was being mistreated and he was being punished.
Vader also testified that the guard constantly called him a "piece of shit" and told him he hopes he enjoys being in the Max as a result of him killing "those people."
First-degree murder charges relating to the McCanns were stayed against Vader on March 19.
The McCanns -- Lyle, 78, and Marie, 77 -- were last seen fuelling up their motorhome in St. Albert on July 3, 2010, while en route to Chilliwack, B.C., for a vacation. Two days later, their RV was found engulfed in flames near the Minnow Lake campground, 20 km east of Edson. The SUV they were towing was discovered six days later in a remote wooded area near Carrot Creek, 30 km east of Edson. Their bodies have yet to be recovered, although police declared them dead and presumed murdered.
Vader has also filed a $1-million lawsuit, alleging RCMP misconduct, malicious prosecution by the Crown and abusive mistreatment by correctional officers.
Vader is slated to be back in court on Monday to face a retrial relating to a June 2010 incident near Barrhead for which he is accused of stealing a truck and trafficking in methamphetamines.
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Armenia’s recent parliamentary election delivered a resounding victory to the incumbent Republican Party. However, behind the numbers lies a growing sense of discontent at a patron–client system that serves only certain elites.
Armenia’s parliamentary election on 2 April was the election that changed everything, and yet seemed to change nothing at all. It was the first election held under a parliamentary, rather than presidential system, and the first major election held under a new constitution. And yet, the mood on the streets of Armenia was that of resignation and apathy; the results of the election no surprise to anyone.
The ruling Republican Party was the clear winner, winning 49% of votes. In distant second was the Tsarukyan Bloc, with 27%; in third, the newcomer Yelk (Exit) Bloc with 8%, lead by Nikol Pashinyan’s Civic Contract Party; and in fourth, the Dashnaktsutyun (Armenian Revolutionary Federation) with 7%.
Behind these numbers lies the complicated reality of a shifting political landscape in Armenia, one in which the dominant elements of the Republican Party have consolidated their political position within both the party and the state, while simultaneously disempowering and subordinating possible rival elites. This was accomplished by honing the Republican Party’s electoral techniques, which leverage the structures of patronage that the Republican Party has developed over an increasingly ineffective opposition.
Retrenchment in the Republican Party
Alexander Iskandaryan, Director of the Caucasus Institute, an independent Yerevan-based think tank, argues that since 2010, the Republican Party has engaged in a process of transformation and consolidation. According to Iskandaryan, in the 2000’s, the party gradually merged with oligarchs and Armenian economic elites to become a sort of countrywide trade-union for capitalists.
But, in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the core of the Republican Party — a coterie of wealthy oligarchs and professional politicians — changed tack and began to consolidate their position, at the expense of their erstwhile allies. This process of consolidation began in 2010, with economic measures implemented by the Republican government under the auspices of preparing to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union, and continued with the electoral reforms that came into effect with the 2015 constitution.
Excluding business elites
These economic measures led to a partial de-monopolisation in the Armenian economy, reducing the personal financial resources that could be mobilised by the the now excluded business elites. This has made them more reliant on the party’s patronage, and weakened their positions versus the ostensibly more ‘loyal’ party apparatchiks.
Electoral reforms were a further attack on this once-dominant social stratum. By replacing a system which mixed proportional representation and single mandate constituencies with a system based entirely on proportional representation, they party has prevented regional bigwigs from converting capital into political power outside of a political party.
The emergence of the Tsarukyan Bloc is one result of this process. Representing the interests of powerful businessmen disempowered by the Republican Party’s core (particularly of its eponymous leader, oligarch Gagik Tsarukyan), it has emerged as the political voice of Armenia’s oligarchs and businessmen.
It should not, however, be seen as a true opposition in the strict sense of the term. Tsarukyan and his allies are still dependent on the benevolence of the Republican Party. Their businesses still function with a great degree of privilege (for instance with de facto tax exemptions) which the Republican Party can and has used as leverage when they step out of line. The future role of the Tsarukyan Bloc will thus likely be that of a junior coalition partner or ‘pocket opposition’, as the economic benefits of accepting this subordinate position far outweigh the costs of political disenfranchisement.
‘The will of the people’
The day after polls closed, the European Union praised Armenia’s election, with Federica Mogherini, the EU’s foreign policy chief, stating that despite reports of vote-buying and other irregularities, the election expressed ‘the overall will of the Armenian people’. This overly rosy assessment is undoubtedly coloured by the close ties that certain EU business interests have with the Republican Party, still, at a cursory glance, it looks like it might actually be correct.
Elections in Armenia have long been dogged by claims of fraud and manipulation. Vote-buying, ballot-stuffing, votes cast by deceased or non-eligible voters, and outright manipulation of the election results have been frequently documented over the years. Prior to this election, the EU made a €7 million investment to rectify some of these issues. Using this money, the Armenian government installed cameras in all polling stations, and bought electronic voter authentication devices — they also took further steps, such as publishing voter lists, and allowing independent observers to monitor the election process throughout the country.
As far as outright fraud was concerned, these measures worked. The electoral results matched the votes cast. Additionally, voter turnout, while not spectacular, was nonetheless impressive — over 60% higher than the turnout in the last US presidential election.
And yet, popular discontent has been simmering in Armenia for years. Each summer, successively more disruptive protests erupt. In 2015, demonstrators staged the largest protest since Armenia’s independence, against a hike in electricity prices. In 2016, an armed group calling themselves the Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sasun) stormed a police station in Yerevan’s Erebuni neighbourhood and called for a popular uprising against the government. Despite the violence of their actions (two police officers were killed in the ensuing stand-off), thousands of young people came out to the streets, even clashing with police in support of the group.
Patron–client democracy
How can this apparent contradiction be explained?
Vote-buying is part of the equation, after all, the exchange of cash for electoral support occurs outside of the view polling station cameras, and cannot be caught by voter-ID technology or voter lists. The deeper reason lies in the Republican Party’s almost total domination of Armenia’s state apparatus, which grants them both the vast financial resources needed for vote-buying and the institutional tools to pressure and otherwise extract votes from a sizeable portion of Armenia’s population.
The Armenian state, and by extension the Republican Party, serves as the employer for a large portion of the Armenian population. As a result, teachers, civil servants, and other government employees and their families are pressured into ‘returning the favour’ by voting for the ruling party. Additionally, the Republican Party’s utilises ‘gifts’, like the maintenance and construction of new infrastructure, such as roads or schools, or investment into agriculture, for example, purchasing tractors for a particular village.
In this, the Republican Party does not act as the representative of the Armenian people; it does not even pretend to enact their will. Rather, they are the patrons of the country and the public their clients. In return for patronage — a single cash payment, a steady wage, or a road — the Armenian people give them their votes.
‘Anti-corruption’ is not an ideology
The Republican Party’s success as a party of patronage has a great deal to do with the non-ideological nature of Armenian politics. Parties represent little more than their own interests, and elections are just the stage on which competition between different elites plays out. During election times, this manifests in the complete lack of substantive discourse.
All parties, including the Republican Party, come out publicly in support of such uncontroversial concepts as ‘growth’, ‘security’, and ‘anti-corruption’. When the parliamentary opposition criticises the government, it aims at individuals rather than the system — ‘the party in power is filled with corruption, our party however is not, elect us and Armenia will prosper’.
The Republic of Armenia is now over 25 years old, so it is to be expected that such a tired pitch falls on deaf ears. In an environment where no political party is trusted to serve the interests of the electorate, patronage wins by default. The greater the resources of a party to buy votes, institutionally pressure voters, and gift much needed infrastructure and amenities, the larger their share of the vote.
A new opening for genuine opposition
But, all this said, there is still room for an effective and popular opposition to emerge. The success of the Republican Party depends in large part on the apathy of Armenians. By establishing an electoral process which is in many ways more transparent than in the past, the government has given up much of the leeway they previously had to manipulate the results of an election once the ballots have been cast.
This provides an opening for a genuinely ideological party to come to power in future; a party whose promises and programme the Armenian people can really believe in. For that to occur, this party must go beyond the limited politics of personalities. It must have a concrete ideology that is not only attuned to the interests of the Armenian people, but is organically woven into their lives. Such a party is not likely to emerge from above, but much like the parties of the working class in late 19th century Western Europe, it will emerge from self-organisation by the Armenian masses.
If the momentary explosions of Armenian protest movements can take on a less transient form, and transform into enduring structures of real popular will, then the chances are, even the formidable state apparatus of the Republican Party will not be able to stop them.
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Story highlights Two men were arrested on terrorism-related offenses
One man was arrested at an east London home
(CNN) British authorities on Wednesday arrested three more people in connection with last week's London Bridge attack, London's Metropolitan Police said.
Authorities also carried out two additional search warrants in east London, police said.
Two men were arrested on a street in Ilford and the third was apprehended at an Ilford residence when police searched the home, authorities said.
A 27-year-old was arrested on suspicion of the preparation of terrorist acts and a 33-year-old was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply controlled drugs, police said. A 29-year-old man apprehended at the llford home was also arrested on suspicion of the preparation of terrorist acts.
The three were taken into custody at a south London police station under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.
Read More
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In a televised speech Friday night, Somalia's national security minister General Khalif Ahmed Ereg said the government was preparing its armed forces in the wake of the death of al-Shabab leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane.
Ereg said there was "credible intelligence" that militants were planning attacks on key targets including medical and educational institutions following his killing.
"Security agencies have obtained information indicating that al-Shabab is now planning to carry out desperate attacks against medical facilities, education centers and other government facilities," Ereg said.
"The security forces are ready to counter their attacks and we call on people to help the security forces in standing against violent acts," he added.
On Friday, the Pentagon confirmed that Godane, the leader of al Qaeda's main affiliate in Africa, died on Monday when US drones and manned aircraft launched missiles and laser-guided bombs on a meeting of the terror group's commanders in southern Somalia.
The US State Department had listed Godane as one of the world's eight top terror fugitives.
Al-Shabab silence over killing
There was no comment from al-Shabab, which had refused to confirm or deny reports of Godane's death.
He had been fighting to overthrow Somalia's internationally-backed government and had sanctioned a wave of suicide bombings, commando attacks, assassinations and kidnappings.
It's believed the 37-year-old terror chief had trained with the Taliban in Afghanistan and had also overseen the group's transformation from local insurgency to a major regional guerrilla threat.
Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said his killing was "a chance for members of Al-Shabab to embrace peace."
"...this is a chance for the majority of [al-Shabab] members to change course and reject Godane's decision to make them the pawns of an international terror campaign," he said.
Mohamud also said the government was "willing to offer amnesty to al-Shabab members who reject violence and renounce their links to al-Shabab and al-Qaeda," but only for the next 45 days.
Kenya's response to Godane's death
On Saturday, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta offered his "heartfelt thanks" to the US for Godane's killing.
Shoppers flee from Westgate Mall in Nairobi during Al-Shabab terror attack, September 2013
Kenyatta said it "provides a small measure of closure" for victims of the Westgate shopping mall siege around a year ago in Kenya's capital, Nairobi. At least 67 people died and dozens were wounded in the attack.
"A year ago this month, armed terrorists entered the Westgate mall and committed some of the most savage crimes ever perpetrated on Kenyan soil," he said.
lw/hc (AP, AFP, Reuters)
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Investors dumped technology and other growth stock winners Wednesday in favor of defensive and value names, a trend that has accelerated as interest rates rise.
Tech stocks fell 4.8 percent in the worst day for the S&P sector since Aug. 18, 2011. The tech-heavy Nasdaq led the declines with a 4.1 percent loss, and the Dow ended down 831 points or 3.1 percent. The was off 3.3 percent, but the small-cap Russell 2000, however, was down slightly less at 2.8 percent.
"We've had a rolling correction. It started with the small caps over the last couple months, and now they're getting to the mega caps. The correction sort of rolled, and now we're finally getting to the big boys," said Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group.
But the sell-off has definitely been targeting big-cap growth names, like "FANG" companies Facebook, Netflix, Amazon and Google's parent Alphabet, all down sharply. In tech, semiconductors were down 3.4 percent, and have now fallen more than 7 percent since the start of October. Names tied to global growth, like Caterpillar, have also been slammed.
But telecommunications stocks and utilities, traditional defensive sectors, were higher. Some steady consumer products stocks were also in the green Wednesday and for the month. Some discretionary stocks, like Dollar Tree and Kohl's were higher, and mining stocks, including Newmont Mining also made gains.
The S&P 500 is off by 3.9 percent so far in October. As of Wednesday morning, the Russell 1000 Growth Index was down by double that in October. Meanwhile the Russell 1000 Value Index is off by less than 1 percent for the one month.
"That's clearly a trend that's at play in the market. There's a lot of fundamental reasons why people might be making that shift, and rates is one of them. You're also just coming into a new quarter, and earnings season is just around the corner," said Robert Sluymer, technical strategist at Fundstrat. He said earnings season could provide the catalyst to reverse the sell-off.
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we oui
That French plan to attract climate scientists? It’s working.
After his election, French president Emmanuel Macron created a program setting aside $69 million to fund researchers, especially from the U.S., to ply their trade in France. “Here, you are welcome,” Macron told scientists via Twitter, in a not-so-subtle jab at President Trump.
A month later, it appears researchers took Macron seriously. According to France’s national research agency, hundreds of climate scientists from around the world have applied for the program. Many hail from the U.S. The agency says most applicants are looking for short sabbaticals, but more than 150 applied to stay for four or more years.
Macron’s idea has its detractors. French researchers felt snubbed because their president built a shiny website to attract new talent at a time when domestic science needed more funds, according to Science. Grist’s own Nathanael Johnson pleaded with leading American climate researchers to “resist France’s allure” because their smarts are so needed here.
But when the U.S. administration casts aside scientists every chance it gets, it’s hard to argue with researchers’ interest in going where they’re wanted. One tenured climate expert told Nature that if her position were more precarious, she’d be “jumping at the opportunity.”
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Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has announced to the world that a new Kindle is coming next week, and today The Wall Street Journal reported on at least some of what you can expect from the company's latest e-reader. According to the report, Amazon's new Kindle will come with a case that can recharge the device in addition to protecting it from everyday bumps. This approach of offloading some of the battery power to the case will allow for a thinner, sleeker design than prior Kindles, the report says. A separate, solar-powered case for the Kindle is also said to be in the works, but is "unlikely" to be unveiled alongside the other products next week.
Beyond that, the Journal doesn't know how much the latest Kindle will cost or other new features that will differentiate it from the already-great Paperwhite and overly expensive Kindle Voyage. We do learn some codenames thanks to the report, however. The Kindle is known internally as "Whiskey," with its companion case given the codename "Soda." People tend to hang onto their Kindles for a long time; in many ways, Amazon faces upgrade cycle challenges similar to those of tablet manufacturers. But Kindles are typically far cheaper, so a compelling addition (or three) may be enough to persuade consumers to buy into whatever Amazon's Lab126 division has been working on.
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The shutdown of a PBS station in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley has drawn the attention of a member of Congress.
In a letter to PBS Tuesday, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez asked the network to help restore public TV service in his area of South Texas. The region’s sole public TV service, KMBH, went off the air in January after a power surge damaged its transmitter, according to a Jan. 31 letter to the FCC from licensee MBTV Texas Valley LLC. Several of Current’s readers have complained about losing the channel in comments on our coverage.
“This issue has been specific to the many in South Texas who still rely on antennas to view this station via airwaves,” Gonzalez wrote.
“Although we have engineers in our area working to resolve this issue, I wanted to reach out directly as it has gone on too long,” he added. “I would appreciate any information regarding how to resolve this issue.”
In March, a PBS VP told Current that the network was looking into leasing a channel from another commercial broadcaster.
MBTV, a subsidiary of commercial broadcaster R Communications, previously aired public TV programming on a digital multichannel of KMBH’s. R Communications CEO Carlos Rodriguez told Current in March that his company was working to get KMBH back on the air, but that it was also considering purchase offers for the station. Rodriguez told Current Wednesday that R Communications has made no headway on repairing the tower nor on a possible sale.
Update: A PBS spokesperson told Current Thursday afternoon, “We are working with the Congressman’s office to respond to his letter, as we continue to look into all options to restore reliable, over-the-air service to the market.”
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